


you're acting a bit sour, don't you think?

by shuanime



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Art, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, IDK shit about art im uncultured, Knotting, Light Angst, M/M, Omega Verse, Omega!Joshua, Painting, Scenting, Scents & Smells, Smut, alpha!jeonghan, and joshua is an art store part timer, and romance blooms, but he's not a sad boi, but jeonghan is an artist, jeonghan is emotionally constipated ok, joshua's weakness is hot men that's all that can finish him off
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:47:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27757165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shuanime/pseuds/shuanime
Summary: Joshua finds himself searching for the scent everyone warned him about.
Relationships: Hong Jisoo | Joshua & Yoon Jeonghan, Hong Jisoo | Joshua/Yoon Jeonghan
Comments: 24
Kudos: 309





	you're acting a bit sour, don't you think?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sincerelyslytherin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sincerelyslytherin/gifts).



> hellloooooo bri! 
> 
> i promised this fic to you last week but im late :( because i had lots to do, so in order to make it up to you, i overwrote~ hehehe i hope this fic helps you relax. please take care of yourself! i care a lot about u :>
> 
> enjoy!!
> 
> (oh, and if any one of u see typos/grammar errors... pls forgive me i dont have a beta reader hehe)

“Thank you for your purchase,” Joshua says with a smile, feeling actually  _ good _ today, “Please come again.”

It’s  _ amazing _ to work at an art supplies store. The pay is pretty decent for a part-time job, the owner is really nice, and not to mention, good-looking (Minghao has a boyfriend, but that doesn’t mean Joshua doesn’t get to  _ appreciate _ his looks from time to time), and there’s  _ no _ rush hour. It’s not anything like working in the café next door where an influx of grumpy, sleep-deprived university students greets him every morning. The weirdest he has ever encountered in this job was a really panicky boy who had a  _ something _ due in three hours. 

Plus, the staff is unprejudiced toward omegas, so… there’s  _ that _ . It feels like he hit the jackpot with this one.

“Something good happened?” 

Joshua turns to look at the person who just entered, smiling brightly as he recognizes the musky yet light and controlled sea breeze scent. “Nothing special, Gyu. Just feeling a little pleasant today. What do you need?”

Mingyu walks to the counter, eyeing the pens behind Joshua, “I don’t remember  _ exactly _ what Seungkwan ordered me to buy for him, he said  _ pen _ and I totally blanked—"

“You’re still Seungkwan’s lackey, huh,” Joshua hums, already grabbing three of the fine-tipped pens Seungkwan frequent for a lot, “He actually placed an order on the site already, saying he knew you’ll forget. All you had to do was pick them up.”

“Wow,” Mingyu says in awe, “You two work so well against me.”

Joshua shrugs as he bags the items, “Years of practice.”

“You holding up good here?” Mingyu says, keeping his scent in check just so he doesn’t give away too much of the concern he’s harboring. “No mean alphas coming to hit on you?”

Mingyu can get overprotective—he’s an alpha, so it’s a  _ given _ especially since Joshua is a close, unmated omega friend—but his concern is not  _ smothering _ , and Joshua appreciates that. 

“So far, I’ve only been hit on by a cute beta, but they’re too young for me.”

“If you need help scaring them away—”

“I can take care of myself, Gyu,” Joshua gently reminds him, handing him Seungkwan’s purchase. “Focus on your finals, alright?”

“Alright, cutie,” Mingyu reaches across the counter, tapping the tip of Joshua’s nose with a finger. And it would be heart-fluttering if not for Joshua’s overexposure to his easy going personality. For an alpha, Mingyu’s a lot comfortable with him. It’s why their friendship stayed the same from the time he presented until now. “But still, if you need  _ anything _ at all,” he gives Joshua the look, and the omega goes ahead and rolls his eyes, “Tell me immediately.”

“Yes, yes,  _ sheesh.” _

“I’m serious, hyung, I mean,” he scratches at his neck with his free hand, “I  _ know _ you can protect yourself, but you still don’t know what might happen.”

“Hey,” Joshua tries to placate the sudden anxious tone, “Nothing will happen to me. What brought this on?”

“Well, there’s been news about rogue alphas going around,” he sighs, dropping it because he knows just how much Joshua  _ hates _ it when it’s suggested he can’t fend for himself just because of his second gender. “Just be really vigilant, okay?”

If it were anyone else, it would be insulting, but since Mingyu is essentially a little brother to him, he wills himself to understand where  _ this _ is all coming from.

“I’m always careful,” Joshua says like a promise, “You have nothing to worry about. If I ever find myself in a difficult situation I can’t get out of—” though, Joshua knows he  _ won’t _ , this won’t end if he doesn’t give some sort of reassurance “—I’ll call you right away.”

That seems to appease Mingyu who beams as soon as he utters the word  _ call. _

“That’s good,” he knocks on the counter, “I gotta get this back to Seungkwan. He’s cranky this whole week because I left the bathroom window open and he saw one cockroach… that  _ I _ killed, anyway!  _ God _ , it’s hell.”

Joshua laughs, “You say it’s hell, but you can’t survive living with anyone else.”

“When I wished for a clean roommate, I didn’t mean I wanted a  _ wackadoodle _ who thinks insecticide sprays are more important than half of the weekly groceries.”

Shaking his head at the tirade, Joshua listens to Mingyu complain for a few minutes before the alpha is running outside the store, cursing under his breath at how Seungkwan is a tyrant for holding his credit card hostage just for three pens.

After Mingyu leaves, the store is fairly quiet, and Joshua is left in peace again.

This would be a recurring theme in his life if he continues working here. Joshua tidies up the counter as he thinks about just how  _ grueling _ it was trying to find a job near his workplace that doesn’t involve selling any part of his body. Not that he absolutely hate presenting as an omega because, seriously, it’s predetermined by genes, so it wouldn’t matter much if he hated it. But his second gender never actually put him in some kind of advantage in life.

Sure, he worked his way to prove the stereotypes wrong, even building his upper body so he can look fit enough to protect himself if it ever comes down to that, but he can only really do so much to show what he’s made of. People still see him as someone who’s a danger to the mental faculties of present alphas within a place, and Joshua can dig his feet on the ground and call them out for such outdated thinking, but rules are already set in place and they’re most of the time for the protection of the most  _ productive _ citizens of the world.

_Productive my ass_ , Joshua can’t help rolling his eyes. He can be as fucking productive, but it’s not like anyone _lets_ _him_.

Amidst his musings, the door opens and in comes a man he can already tell is an alpha at first glance.

His body is broad even if he looks like he doesn’t work out much and his face strong and sharp in places, but damn, this guy’s really  _ handsome. _

Forgive Joshua if he can’t stop looking, he’s really  _ weak _ when it come to good-looking faces.

“Can I help you with something?” Joshua asks with a smile.  _ It’s fine to look, right? _ He won’t try anything. People born with good looks should be appreciated well.

“I’m just…” the customer tries, but if the way his eyes wander and the overall defensive stance by the door are anything to go by, it’s clear he’s uncomfortable that Joshua is  _ talking _ to him.

_ Great _ . Another one of these alphas who think Joshua will jump at them. Joshua consciously manages his scent. If he does this much, the alpha should get the message that  _ he’s not interested. _

Still, he puts on a friendly face. “You’re free to look around if you’re not sure—”

“I actually,” the alpha tries again, seemingly more uncomfortable and a bit  _ irate _ than earlier, and it’s kind of pissing Joshua off because he already controlled his scent  _ as best he can _ . “I placed an order and I’m here to pick them up.”

“Alright,” Joshua says brightly, a bit tense as he takes out the tablet. 

The man doesn’t say anything back, but there’s a ( _ maybe _ he imagined it, but Joshua’s nose is pretty sensitive to smells)  _ hint _ of sourness that fills the air the makes him think he  _ did _ offend the alpha with his tone or something.

As Joshua scrolls through the list of orders, he ponders if he just riled up someone probably stronger than him. 

“Your name?”

“Huh?”

“Your name, sir,” Joshua looks up only to see a dumb look on his face.  _ Wait a second— _ why is this man wearing  _ layers _ in this weather? It’s already  _ March.  _ “I need it to get to your items.”

Realization flashes in the alpha’s eyes, and Joshua can’t help thinking about how honest his expressions are. 

Kind of  _ cute. _

“Yoon Jeonghan.”

Nice name, suits his face a lot. Joshua proceeds to bag the items reserved, and he does it in silence as the man eyes his movements. 

Why is he so… fidgety? 

And why is he  _ still _ by the doors?

“The items were all paid for online,” Joshua confirms, reading from the screen of the tablet as he stretches out his arm, bag in hand. “Thank you for your purchase.”

A whole  _ moment _ passes. Joshua blinks, watching the man  _ not _ take the bag in his hand. 

“Sir?”

The alpha stands by the door, unmoving. He doesn’t seem to want to go near him. 

A though crosses Joshua’s head. Maybe he’s one of those recessive alphas who can’t control themselves around omegas. Maybe he’s  _ really _ holding back, and Joshua prematurely  _ judged _ him as a bit snobby—

“Sir? Do you have a problem with me being an omega? I can get another part-timer—"

“No—No, you’re fine, I’m—” he shakes his head, hands coming up to adjust the scarf around his neck. He then walks to the counter, taking the bag from Joshua’s hand, their fingertips brushing  _ ever so slightly.  _ “Thanks.”

Joshua stands there, dumfounded, even after the man rushes out of the store like it will burn him to stay a second longer.

So  _ that’s _ why he wouldn’t go near him. His scent is seriously  _ strong  _ and he’s probably aware of it. It’s not exactly a bad odor, but it’s concentrated and pungent, a bit stifling with a sourness that sent a shiver down Joshua’s spine. At first, the scent feels like the alpha is in distress and Joshua’s unconditioned response is to find out what he did wrong to displease him, but after he shakes that omega instinct off, he can tell it’s  _ not _ intentional. It doesn’t seem like the man could control his own scent if the layers he’s wearing is anything to go by.

When he scratches his nose, he catches a whiff of the alpha’s scent lingering on his fingertips. It’s faint, unlike earlier, musky yet a bit floral. And oddly enough, Joshua likes it. He feels comforted by the scent, calm washing over his senses as he inhales what remains on the pads of his fingers.

That’s weird. Joshua has never encountered anything like this before. 

“Maybe his rut is coming,” Seungcheol says through the burgers and fries stuffed in his cheeks, “I get pretty intense pheromones when I’m about to get into one.”

“No, I don’t think that’s it.” Joshua places his chin on his hand as he watches Seungcheol wolf down his food. Something about watching his best friend eat fifteen minutes until his next class is  _ fascinating _ . Like watching a food competition. “It’s sour—like he’s upset.”

“Maybe you pissed him off.”

“I didn’t! I was being friendly and smiley,” Joshua pouts like a child, “You said I’m pretty when I smile.”

“I said that so you’ll let me borrow your psych notes, but  _ sure.” _

At that, Joshua squints, fingers creeping to steal a fry from Seungcheol’s bucket only to be swatted away by a greasy hand. 

“You  _ said _ you weren’t hungry.”

“I am  _ now, _ ” Joshua huffs, attempting to take a fry again, but the alpha is just too stingy, moving the dish away. “He was obviously wearing layers to cover it up. What do you think it is?”

“I honestly don’t know,” Seungcheol shrugs, “I’ve never heard of that before. Did you control your scent around him?”

“As best I could.” Joshua points at his neck and then his wrists, just where some of the scent glands are located, “I was even wearing blockers.”

“Well, you do have a pretty stubborn scent,” the alpha points out, and Joshua can’t help pulling a face at that. “He might be a dominant alpha if he can still smell you.”

“Does it ever bother you? My scent?”

“Not  _ really,” _ Seungcheol admits, carefully chewing his food now that he’s thinking about it on the spot. “I mean, when rut is coming I can’t be around  _ any _ omega’s scent, but aside from that, I’m with you almost everyday. You’re fine.”

It’s reassuring to hear this from an alpha. Joshua is required to wear scent blockers to work, and sometimes, when he’s just outside of a heat, he has to wear them everywhere. He can control his scent partially, toning it down in the presence of anyone who could be bothered by it (especially out of regard for two of his closest friends), but it’s not really enough to completely mask his smell.

Joshua can’t really smell himself. It’s just a familiar, comfortable whiff of himself that he can’t really  _ describe _ , but it’s cozy and it’s just every omega’s sixth sense to be consoled by their own scent even if they don’t necessarily  _ know _ what it smells like.

Seungcheol and Mingyu tell him they can smell peaches, sweet and fruity that sometimes clogs their mind when Joshua is just _too_ _happy_. His omega friends tell him they do smell peaches as well, but in a controlled degree. It doesn’t overwhelm them as much.

Peaches. Joshua wonders if his scent is any good. 

“Stop thinking about it, it’s not like you’re going to meet him again—”

“Meet who again?” A sleep-deprived Seungkwan unceremoniously drops his tray of food next to Seungcheol.  _ “Scooch over—” _ he carps at the alpha before turning all his attention to Joshua. “Are you dating again? Did you do a background check this time? If this new guy you’re seeing ends up treating you like a cash cow again,  _ I swear to God, _ Hong Jisoo. You’re a struggling university student, you don’t need to  _ sponsor _ your men _ —” _

There he goes again with filling in the story with his imagination. “It’s not  _ that. _ I’m not seeing anyone.”

“Good,” Seungkwan takes a big bite out of his sandwich, “You shouldn’t be fooling around with boys, no matter how sexy they are. Finals are coming, and boys are stupid!”

Seungcheol gives Joshua a look that says,  _ What is this guy talking about?  _

Which Joshua returns with another look that says,  _ I never really know. _

“Who  _ hurt _ you?” Seungcheol elbows Seungkwan lightly, but the beta is feeling particularly sensitive today so he exclaims  _ Ouch! _ disproportionately.

“No one,” Seungkwan grumbles under his breath which is a very telling sign that  _ there is _ someone, but Joshua decides not to press on. “Who are we talking about then?”

Dusting the grease off his hands as if that will do anything, Seungcheol speaks through a mouthful of his last bite, cheek protruding as he talks. “Joshua found a stinky guy.”

“What—he’s not  _ stinky _ —”

“Ohhh…” Seungkwan’s eyes widen like he  _ understands _ , nodding his head along, “I know what that’s like. Is he on the football team?”

_ “No—” _ Joshua sighs “—It’s not what you think. He’s just a customer at my job.”

“The supplies store? Why are we talking about a customer?”

“Well, he really smelled weird—”

_ “Stinky.” _

_ “Not.” _ Joshua glares at Seungcheol from across the table, chucking a hand sanitizer at his face, but the alpha catches it mid air. Curse those heightened alpha reflexes. “He just has a strong scent. And he was wearing  _ layers _ to hide them _. _ Scarves and all.”

Chewing on the straw of his drink, Seungkwan offers, “You’re talking about Yoon Jeonghan from the fine arts department, right?”

Joshua sometimes forgets Seungkwan knows literally  _ everyone _ and anyone. 

“Yeah. What’s up with him?”

“As far as I know, he’s doing it on purpose to scare everyone away,” the beta shrugs, not fully sure about the information, “At least, that’s what the seniors from his department are saying. He gets into a lot of fights because of his scent.”

“It’s not that it smells bad…” Joshua doesn’t know why he’s defending a stranger, but his thoughts drift to the scent that lingered on his fingertips just a few days ago. It’s ingrained on his mind, and the thought of people suggesting it’s  _ bad  _ makes him feel… a bit on edge.

“That makes sense since you’re an omega, you’re bound by genetics to appreciate scents. But shouldn’t you be scared whenever you smell him? I heard omegas from his department are intimidated, to say the least.”

“Where do you  _ hear _ all of this?” Seungcheol looks dubious. 

“ _ People, _ ” comes Seungkwan’s answer with a wave of a hand. “He’s hot—I’ll give him that, but I still think you should stay away from him.”

“Why? Does he hurt people?”

“I’m not sure. But his vibe is just  _ off, _ and you want all the positive energy you can get or you’ll rot in this cruel world,” Seungkwan morbidly advises, taking a handful of Seungcheol’s fries. “If you’re not eating your fries, give them to me.”

“Hey! You have your own.”

“Food tastes better when it comes from someone else’s plate.”

A horrified gasp comes out of the alpha, “Is this what your mother taught you?”

“My mother taught me arson is always the answer.  _ You _ finish the puzzle.”

And as he listens to his friends engage in a mindless banter (just like they always do because Seungkwan has a comeback for  _ everything _ and Seungcheol gets  _ competitive),  _ Joshua wills himself to sweep aside every thought about that person. 

He won’t see him again anyway.

Finals came, and with all the responsibilities that Joshua had to tend to, the memory of the faint, musky, yet somehow  _ floral _ scent gets stored in the back of his mind instead. 

* * *

“Hey.”

Joshua doesn’t have to look back to see his face or to recognize his voice because this familiar sour scent is  _ punching _ him in the face.

And he’s not even facing him yet. Despite the initial shock of catching a whiff, Joshua turns to greet him with a smile. He’s a customer—that’s just good service.

The sight of him without the layers is kind of… Okay, so, he’s  _ still _ hot. That didn’t change over the weeks Joshua didn’t see him—his hair falling in tufts of brown curls on his forehead, shoulders strikingly broader than last time because this time he’s wearing less layers than before—and that  _ jawline _ … 

Oh, god  _ bless _ that jawline. 

He only has one coat on this time, scarf nowhere to be seen. Joshua finds himself not minding the stifling scent if it means he’ll get to see the entire package.

Not that he’s  _ counting _ the days, but it has been  _ five _ weeks since he saw this.

Nevertheless, he tries not to ogle too much.

“Hey there,” he beams, coming to the counter, “Placed an order again?”

Yoon Jeonghan looks around, tense like the last time. Something in Joshua’s stomach drops.  _ Why does he look so uncomfortable? _

“Yeah.”

“Alright, wait a moment.”

As Joshua scrolls through the orders placed online, he can feel the alpha’s heavy stare on him. As if Joshua will disappear if he shifts his gaze away for just a second.

“One kneadable eraser?” Joshua asks aloud just for confirmation, “Is that all?”

But Jeonghan seemingly takes it differently, defensively hurling back, “I really need it. I ran out.”

“Oh, that’s troublesome.”

“Actually, I lost mine, so that’s a lie.”

“… _ Of course _ .” Joshua tries to formulate an answer to his excuses, but he has no idea why he’s making them in the first place. “It has been paid for online. Thank you for your purchase.”

“Th-Thank…” the alpha mumbles, stepping forward to take the item, but not before very  _ obviously _ glancing at Joshua’s name tag. “Thanks, Shua.”

_ Shua. _

The omega’s face feels a little warm at the nickname.

Usually, when alphas use nicknames, it sounds derogatory. But this time, he finds himself not minding it.

“Anytime,” Joshua manages to stammer when their fingertips brush once again, making a mental note to bring it to his nose later. With a small nod, he casually acknowledges the familiar name. “…Jeonghan.”

Jeonghan lingers for a second longer, just looking at him, and all Joshua can do is look back, really, because it’s difficult to avert one’s gaze from someone who looks like he’s a hot 2D man straight from a  _ shoujo _ manga.

“Please come again.”

And maybe when Joshua uttered these words, he meant something else.

When the alpha leaves, traces of sourness are still in the air. Joshua’s instinct is to mix it with his scent in an attempt to calm down someone who already left, but he manages to contain his urge. If another customer comes in—both alpha and omega—they might think people had  _ heat sex  _ in the store if he tries to mix his scent in. 

Making sure no one is around to see him, Joshua inhales the muted tones of Jeonghan’s scent left on his fingers. His lips pull into a smile at the lightness it makes him feel.

Just like last time.

What he doesn’t see is the way the alpha smiles to himself, too, as he watches the store cashier timidly bring his fingertips to his nose.

And he does the same, lifting his own hand, the one that brushed against Joshua’s earlier, sniffing the sweet-smelling aroma of peaches.

Joshua thought it would take another five weeks for him to see the man again, but he finds himself thinking, ‘ _ he’s here again.’ _

Every. 

Single. 

Day.

“You sure that guy’s not stalking you?” Ehe owner, Minghao, asks in a low voice as they both stand by the counter, watching the alpha hang around the store, eyes scanning shelves of different supplies. “I can call security.”

He doesn’t seem to  _ need _ anything from there. For a whole week now, Jeonghan has been coming every day just to buy one  _ small _ thing, brush fingertips with Joshua, and then leave. Rinse and repeat. And it would be creepy if not for the fact that Joshua actually  _ looks forward _ to those short moments that the alpha is present in his workplace.

So much that Joshua stopped wearing scent blockers to work. The sourness in Jeonghan’s scent seems to die down a lot when he does that.

Not that he feels special when that happens, but it’s  _ nice. _

“No need,” Joshua whispers back, smiling widely when Jeonghan turns to look at him. “He’s a friend.”

“You’re not just saying that because he’s hot, are you?”

Face heating up, Joshua busies himself by fiddling with the order tablet. “No. We’re really friends.”

But Minghao is less than convinced, a brow shooting up as he questions, “Really?”

“Really.”

“How old is he?”

“…We’re not  _ that _ close yet,” Joshua mumbles as the owner sighs deeply, expecting the answer.

“Hong Jisoo, I can’t believe you and your weakness.”

Before Joshua can ask him what he means by that, Jeonghan gathers both of their attention, but he’s looking directly at Joshua while pointing at a shelf. “Excuse me? Can you tell me more about this canvas?”

Before the omega could offer himself (for  _ assistance _ , of course), Minghao is already making his way to the customer. 

“Of course! I can tell you everything you want to know,” Minghao winks at Joshua as he leads the alpha to the canvas aisle.

_ You have a boyfriend! _ Joshua wants to stomp his foot and throw a fit, but he tells himself it’s  _ fine. _ He’s not  _ that _ annoyed. It’s not like he just missed a chance or anything. 

It’s not like Minghao, his hot boss who’s  _ very much taken _ and  _ very much in a relationship _ , will ever hit on Jeonghan, his hot customer whose relationship status is still unknown. But if the lack of anyone’s scent on him and the lack of bond mark is anything to go by, Joshua would say he’s very much single, too—

WHAT? WHY SHOULD THAT MATTER? Joshua finds himself internally  _ screaming _ like a banshee. 

Just like that—the alpha is leaving the store with an expensive canvas in hand as Minghao waves goodbye at him. 

Meanwhile, Joshua is tempted to  _ quit _ this job just because he didn’t get to brush fingertips with a  _ customer _ today _. _

God, what has gotten into him?

“Your alpha smells bad.”

“Huh?”

“Him, that customer,” Minghao says, tongue in cheek, “I  _ think _ he’s dangerous.”

“Weird,” Joshua frowns, “Seungkwan said the same thing.”

Shuddering visibly, Minghao crosses his arms on his chest. “I smelled his scent so much. It’s so…  _ sour. _ I thought he was angry at me the whole time.”

Being a beta, Minghao doesn’t smell alphas and omegas that much. Usually only dominant ones get access to his olfactory senses, but he never smells them fully. Scents are weak to betas. If he smelled Jeonghan like he says he did…

Just how strong is it?

“His scent is not  _ that _ bad,” Joshua defends, tone rising a little because he doesn’t believe Jeonghan is dangerous. He hasn’t really tried anything particularly bad. He just visits the store for random things that one might not need everyday. Totally  _ not _ weird for a hot person to do. “Maybe there’s something bothering him.”

“Not if he smells like that all the time,” Minghao mutters as he adjusts the pen display.

With that, Joshua is left to think deeply about his new friend’s mysterious sharp, sour smell.

They’re friends, right? They haven’t exchanged more than a few  _ hey _ ’s and  _ thank you for your purchase _ ’s, but when Joshua smiles at him, Jeonghan smiles back. And they call each other by their first names. And this might be a  _ huge  _ assumption on Joshua’s part, but Jeonghan visits him at the store  _ everyday. _

That’s some sort of  _ friendship _ in Joshua’s book.

_ Or you just think he’s hot and you’re trying to flirt telepathically again, _ a voice in his head says. 

As he ponders over that thought, he realizes he feels particularly annoyed today.

* * *

Stores are not Jeonghan’s scene. 

To be honest, nothing that is considered a  _ public space _ is ever his scene. 

He knows his scent gives of a bad smell, and it has been like that since he can remember. He  _ did _ grow up wearing layers and blockers and staying away from people, so it’s not like he’s not used to it. Betas would still manage to smell him despite their weak ability to do that, and alphas always think he’s picking a fight when he’s literally just minding his business. 

That, and omegas won’t date him even if he attempts to be serious with them because he’s just too  _ intimidating _ . 

One night stands get a little lonely because no one is sane enough to want to cuddle with him in bed after. Or even take up on his aftercare. 

Alphas have needs, too, and one of those is to provide comfort as a form of protection. It’s just that no one wants that from  _ him _ . Because of how he  _ smells _ . And it’s tiring to keep up with people who can’t understand something he really can’t provide any reason for because he himself doesn’t understand, adding to the  _ piling _ reasons why he’s growing to hate himself.

_ Yes, _ Jeonghan’s solution is to lock himself up in his studio, finishing plates and only attending classes that require attendance. 

_ Yes, _ Jeonghan’s solution is to douse himself in blockers and wear scarves in the hot weather and make his good beta friend  _ Seokmin _ pick up everything he needs that he can’t purchase online.

What about it?

Except for that one time that Seokmin  _ couldn’t _ because he was in a testing center, and Jeonghan had to come out of his cave of an art studio. That day was  _ hell _ —he couldn’t walk two steps without someone gaping at him. The scent blockers made him restless because he couldn’t smell himself, and the clothes were heavy and hot. If not for his big, alpha pride, he would’ve passed out on the pavement.

Turns out it was all worth it.

Recently, he finds himself smiling more, going out more. Even shedding some layers and going easy with the blockers. Sure, he’s getting weird looks from both alphas and omegas in his classes—something that he was trying so hard to avoid before—but now…

_Who_ _cares?_

When he goes straight to the art supplies store to meet the peach-smelling omega with the softest voice and the kindest smile…

Nothing seems to matter anymore.

And when their scent mixes in the air of the empty store for the few minutes that he’s there…

And when their fingers brush, and it feels like a secret only the two of them share… 

Jeonghan hopes they’re both on the same page—

Are they  _ both _ on the same page?

“Based on what you just told me,” Seokmin rests his chin on his hand, watching his hyung pull at his luscious, curly hair like it’s grass on a sunny field, “You’re nothing but a _creepy_ _pervert_.”

“What—!?” Jeonghan’s eyes widen, and Seokmin prepares himself for the alpha’s irritated outburst, but he can’t really read his body language nowadays unlike before. So, when Jeonghan’s shoulders deflate instead, Seokmin is  _ fascinated _ . “R-Really? Do you think I  _ scare _ him?”

“You say you go there every day, right?”

The alpha nods, holding a hopeful look in his eyes.

“And you hold his hand every time?”

_ “Touch,” _ Jeonghan insists, as if  _ that’s _ any better, “I pretend to accidentally touch his fingers.”

Seokmin looks horrified. “Just  _ why _ would you do that, you creepy pervert?”

“Because he smells _really_ _good_ ,” Jeonghan groans, knowing that doesn’t really help brighten his image. He plants his face in his palms, pressing hard because he’s frustrated at himself for being a _creepy fucking pervert._ “His scent stays on my fingers for the rest of the day.”

The look on Seokmin’s face is just priceless.

“Have you even  _ talked _ to him?”

That question just makes him bury his face further, wanting to die. Listening to how pathetic he must sound right now, Jeonghan grimly replies, “I always say  _ hey. _ ”

“Hyung, you suck at this,” Seokmin concludes, “And here I thought you were smooth. The poor guy might just be waiting for you to make a move.” That brightens Jeonghan’s aura a little  _ too _ much, so the beta decides he has to pull the rug from underneath him slightly. “ _ If _ he doesn’t want to call the cops on you, that is.”

“But he’s not scared of me…” he trails off in a quiet voice, and Seokmin somehow feels bad after hearing that.

Jeonghan is lonely—the prime reason why Seokmin sticks around to accompany him all the time even if the beta wants to  _ date, _ too. 

And it’s not like Jeonghan is doing it just to be creepy.

_ Did you eat peaches? _ Seokmin asked him the first time he met the store cashier.  _ You kinda smell like… fresh fruit. _

Something akin to pride swells in his chest when he hears those words. Traces of Shua’s scent probably rubbed on him during that little amount of time, and it feels like he has been scented by the one he likes even if there isn’t really any scenting  _ involved— _

“I like him,” he admits with a cheerless expression. 

“Gross,” Seokmin grimaces, “Don’t tell  _ me _ that. Tell  _ him _ .”

“He must think I smell bad,” Jeonghan laughs self-deprecatingly. “He probably has a thousand alphas trying to win his heart since he’s really pretty, too.”

“You said he smiled at you a lot,” Seokmin points out because after a bit of thinking, he wants his friend to go for this. If Jeonghan settles down, he’d finally have time to himself. Hitting two birds with one stone never hurt anyone. “And even if that’s just customer service” —because  _ let’s be honest here _ , it’s a bit too much to just assume romance from a mere smile— “he doesn’t seem to be pulling away from your touches. Maybe he doesn’t mind.” Hope blooms in Jeonghan as he listens to his friend’s words. “Maybe he’s interested.”

But nothing about that sounds  _ sure _ . “I don’t know…”

Sighing, the beta urges him, “This is the closest you’ve been with someone other than me in so long, hyung.” Jeonghan’s face drops at the reminder of his lonely, miserable life. “You deserve every shot at love, you know.”

The thing is: Jeonghan  _ doesn’t _ know. It’s not like he ever had a  _ genuine _ shot at one.

Maybe Seokmin’s the best kind of love he’d ever have, and even then, what they have is more like family than anything else, really. As a child, Seokmin was good at being a pushover, and so Jeonghan made it his job to scare away anyone who tries to take advantage of him. He cares for the beta like a brother would. He’s his only concept of family.

Flashes of the store cashier’s glossy smile wander in his mind.

And then there’s this small, silly thought at the back of his mind that’s just too  _ foolish _ to entertain, but…

Somehow, as he’s thinking about his future, Jeonghan’s nose tingle with the reminder of a certain fruity aroma.

It would be nice.

* * *

“This job sucks,” Seungcheol says, leaning against the counter as he munches on a green apple.

Yuck. Joshua’s mouth turns sour at the sight of it.  _ Red apples are better, sweeter. _

“It’s not your job, so why are you complaining?” As the omega scribbles inventory stuff on paper, this oaf is enjoying the air-conditioning of the store. “What are you even doing here? Get out.”

Seungcheol pouts as he chews on the crunchy fruit. It creates this image that the alpha probably thinks is  _ cute, _ but all it makes Joshua feel is annoyed. 

“I came to see your  _ boyfriend,”  _ he sing-songs the last word, brows wiggling in an attempt to get a rise out of the omega. “Plus, I wanna smell him.”

He’s so annoying.

Joshua snorts, “You’re weird.”

“No,  _ you’re _ weird.” Joshua pulls a face at that, but Seungcheol is making his  _ points _ . “You giggle like a pervert every time you smell your fingers. Poor alpha doesn’t know he’s the center of a little  _ virgin’s _ fantasy—”

_ “I’m not a vir—” _

“Blowjobs don’t count.” Seungcheol clicks his tongue, claiming his first win. “That’s the wrong hole.”

Scowling, Joshua lets out an offended huff. 

“Leave now,” he says, pinching Seungcheol’s arm  _ hard _ until the alpha lets out a  _ yelp  _ that no one else must know about or he risks getting socially sanctioned _. _ “Or I’ll tell Seungkwan you’ve been wasting time here instead of working on your project.”

“ _ Ah! _ So violent, Joshy,” Seungcheol rubs at his wronged arm, “I’m here to help you!”

“I don’t need help. We don’t even  _ have _ customers at this hour.”

Seungcheol raises an eyebrow, “You don’t wanna find out why your alpha stinks?”

“He’s not _my_ _alpha,”_ Joshua rolls his eyes, but the words kind of feel meager on his tongue, “And he’s not stinky. Stop saying that—what if someone hears you?”

“I’m not afraid of brawls. I can take them all down.”

Cringing really hard at that  _ shameless  _ declaration of the macho man image, the omega takes a seat on one of the stools behind the counter. The store usually has a sporadic flow of customers. Joshua’s afraid standing for hours in an empty store will increase his chances of getting  _ varicose veins. _

He has nice legs. There’s  _ no  _ way.

“I can’t believe you just said that,” he says, taking out his phone to start on an  _ extensive  _ research about scents. He has a lot of questions, and while Google knows everything, he’s not sure if he can handle seeing  _ cancer  _ results. Every symptom just points to different variations of cancer, so he still needs an actual alpha to tell him what’s bullshit and what’s not.

He glances at Seungcheol who’s currently trying to aim what remains of his apple into the nearest trash bin, shooting like he would a basketball. And when it lands inside the bin, the alpha makes crowd-cheering noises for himself.

There’s still time for Joshua to come to Mingyu for help.

But it’s either this fucking oaf or a protective, really strict younger alpha who thinks Joshua is a glass bauble being cradled in his hands.

_ Oh, well.  _ Joshua heaves a sigh.  _ The fucking oaf it is. _

“So, what did Mr. Google say?”

“Says here it could be a lot of things,” Joshua mumbles as his eyes scan the screen. Leaning against the counter, Seungcheol peers as well. “Unmanaged phobia, anxiety, anger management issues…”

“Is there a way to make it better?” The alpha asks.

The page he’s on is talking about bathing in tomato juice, but that doesn’t make  _ sense _ because Jeonghan’s scent smells like agitated kind of sour— _ not like skunk piss. _ Joshua shakes his head, unable to find anything helpful.

“It feels like I’m reading off a DIY page on a kid’s magazine.” He scratches at his neck, heaving out a deep sigh, “I’m pretty sure he’s tried all of this, too. I mean—we’ve never really talked, but he seems aware of his own scent.”

He expects a witty or maybe another annoying retort from his friend, but Seungcheol remains silent for a moment, and that worries Joshua  _ more than anything else in the world. _

“What is it?” Joshua tilts his head. “What?”

Seungcheol only looks at him with a straight face.

“You  _ like _ him, don’t you?”

Feeling sheepish, Joshua lets out a small cough, hiding his face because he can feel it tinting pink with how shocked he is by the sudden question. 

But he isn’t a coward—he knows he needs to face this head-on.

And he really cannot lie to Seungcheol.

“I wouldn’t be doing this if I wasn’t a _little_ _bit_ interested.”

The way he said it in a small voice impresses the alpha, hand coming up to ruffle Joshua’s hair. It has been long since Joshua was in a similar, genuine heart-flutter scene, so Seungcheol is happy for him, but at the same time…

“Are you going to tell him?”

“I’m trying to get to know him first,” Joshua looks at him with soft eyes—the way he gets when he’s sincere.

Chuckling, Seungcheol pats the top of his head. “Make sure to make it clear, okay? No blurred lines?”

That makes Joshua’s lips pull into a pout. But the concern is  _ valid _ because he’s known for getting into relationships that are  _ extremely vague. _ His first boyfriend wasn’t even  _ gay _ , and his most recent relationship wasn’t even a real relationship because  _ only Joshua knew they were dating. _

It’s not entirely his fault because it’s not like he wanted that to happen to him, but maybe something about his preferences clouded his judgment.

While he can protect himself when attacked physically, he considers people’s good looks as his fatal flaw.

Curse people with good genes, making Joshua’s heart turn into  _ mush _ with one look.

“We haven’t even exchanged real words,” he sulks, earning laughter from the alpha. 

“I’m sure he’s dying to talk to you, if he’s here everyday.” Even if it’s fun to make fun of Joshua, Seungcheol knows his best friend’s confidence isn’t always  _ fine.  _ It helps him to hear that he’s actually a beautiful omega that any alpha would be lucky to have. Well, at least, Seungcheol thinks so. And he’s almost never wrong about these things. “Just smile at him like you always do. Didn’t I tell you you’re pretty when you smile?”

Joshua giggles, shaking his head, “To get ahold of my notes!”

“I admit to gaining something from it, but that doesn’t mean I lied.”

It fills Joshua’s heart to be looked after like this. Unknown to him, his scent is filling the air strongly as he basks in the skittish feeling.

Seungcheol excuses himself after getting a  _ strongly-worded _ text message from a certain Boo Seungkwan who’s currently fuming at the alpha’s lack of participation in their Google Docs.

When he leaves, Joshua finds himself with a lot of free time at work again. So, he decides to just scroll through more results on the internet.

Yoon Jeonghan’s scent smells offensive, like it’s accusing him (as an omega) of doing something wrong. And he can only imagine what it’s like to other alphas. Even Minghao, a beta, felt riled by the scent. Just what could it be?

After some time, Joshua comes across a page that doesn’t really offer much help as to reversing the scent, but it does a decent job of explaining reasons as to why it happens.

_ A sour scent is believed to be tied to the psychological condition of the person. _

_ To briefly explain its presumed main cause, scents are described to turn sour as a response to a distressing or disturbing experience. If a sour note persists in one’s scent, then there could be an existing, unaddressed source that— _

Joshua’s reading is interrupted when the store doors open, revealing a beta who’s already wearing a bright smile as if he’s the one offering Joshua customer service.

“Welcome, Sir,” Joshua greets, leaving his phone face up as he tries to gather himself after all that information. He stands up, bowing his head slightly, but the man doesn’t seem to mind because he’s just… smiling really wide.

“Hi! I came here to pick up an order online?” The customer comes to the counter. “For Lee Seokmin.”

“Alright, sir. Please wait a moment.”

What Joshua doesn’t see as he tends to the items was the way the smiley customer takes a sly peep at the screen of his phone.

Sour scent remedies. Seokmin makes a mental note of this moment. His eyes flit to the store cashier. He’s too far from the counter for the beta to be sure, but the whole store is filled with the scent of peaches, even if he can only faintly smell it.

He watches him, studies his face. 

So this is his Jeonghan-hyung’s type.

“It was all paid for online,” the cashier says, handing him the bag, “Thank you for your purchase.”

Seokmin bows with another big smile.  _ I should win some brownie points for you, Jeonghan-hyung, _ he thinks as he eyes Joshua’s pretty face,  _ Your type is really the best. _

_ And it seems like he cares about you, too. _

* * *

_ “Just tell him you like him!” _ Seokmin told him all about Joshua (that’s the name on the nametag, Jeonghan didn’t see clearly) searching for remedies for sour scent on his phone.

Doing his best to pretend he’s unaffected, Jeonghan turned to look at him as he replied dryly,  _ “I would rather die.” _ And then he went back studying for an assessment, leaving Seokmin blabbering more about the peach-smelling omega.

He said that but his chest fills with so much hope.

He said that but, days later, when he’s mustered up all the courage he has, he finds himself standing in front of the door of the art supplies store, the CLOSED sign staring back at him.

_ This is what you get for taking too long to get ready, _ a nagging voice in his head that sounds irritatingly like Seokmin reprimands him,  _ Who spends an entire hour getting their hair gelled up!? _

“Hey.” 

Jeonghan jumps, startled as someone taps his shoulder. He whips his head back to see a beta who clearly looks uncomfortable. It’s the same person who assisted him that one time.

The beta clears his throat, possibly stifled by his scent, so Jeonghan consciously moves back. “We’re closed today. Did you need anything important? I can open the store for you if it’s urgent.”

“No,” Jeonghan mumbles, adjusting the collar of his button down. He badly wants to ask where the cashier could be at this hour, but this beta is outright  _ scrutinizing _ him, and he doesn’t look apologetic about it either.

“You want to know where Joshua is?”

At that, the alpha perks up, making Minghao shake his head with a sigh. He knew it.

“Do you know where he might be?” 

“Why should I tell you?”

“Look—” Jeonghan purses his lips as he tries to think of a way to sound nice “—I’m not picking a fight with you. I just have to know where he is.”

“I don’t know if you know, but your scent makes you seem dangerous,” the beta replies, crossing his arms as they both engage in a mutual stare down. Jeonghan has never seen a beta this confident in intimidating an alpha, and he may never admit it because of his ego, but something about the beta’s eyes…

_ Does he think I will hurt him? _

“It’s just—uh—It’s something I’ve had for so long,” Jeonghan admits, and being honest like this to a total stranger is humiliating for him, but he has already gathered his balls to finally  _ talk _ to his object of affection today. “But I don’t intend to harm your friend. I just want to talk to him.”

“What for?” The beta raises a demanding brow, “Rogue alphas are everywhere. How can I be sure Joshua will be safe—”

“I  _ like _ him,” Jeonghan blurts out, breathing out a deep sigh because every second he spends with this overprotective beta makes him lose shards of his courage. “I just want to talk to him,” he repeats, staring directly in his eyes.

A few seconds passes without the beta responding in any way, not even a blink, so Jeonghan’s starts blinking awkwardly because this might just be the strangest confrontation he has ever had.

“Was that so _hard?”_ The beta face breaks into a _really_ _happy_ smile, catching Jeonghan by surprise. _What the fuck is happening?_ “See, you only _had_ to be honest.”

“What—"

“Joshua’s from the liberal studies department,” the beta says, clasping a hand on Jeonghan’s shoulder easily as if they’re friends. As if he didn’t just engage in a cock showdown with the alpha mere moments ago. “You can probably find him under the biggest tree near that building, he likes playing his ukulele there. If not, he’s at the library.”

Jeonghan sputters. This man changed  _ just like that  _ in a split second. “I’m Minghao, by the way,” the beta extends his hand. Jeonghan stares at it for a second, not knowing what to do. “Oh—Don’t be a stranger! I own this store,” he points at the door before forcibly taking Jeonghan’s hand in a tricky handshake, “And if you manage to win Joshua’s heart, you don’t have to buy anything silly just to hang around him. Oh, and he really likes sweet stuff, so if you see some on your way, get them for him. Extra points.”

At that, Jeonghan’s eyes widened. And it seems like Minghao expects this reaction, too.

“What are you standing there for? Go, ” Pushing at his shoulder, the beta points with his lips—puckering it to a certain direction that Jeonghan’s supposed to follow. “Go to him!”

Jeonghan has never walked briskly away so  _ confused _ in his entire life.

* * *

And there he is. The one he has been looking for all this time. 

Jeonghan eyes the surroundings—this part of the liberal studies department is green full of trees and grass. And if he shifts his gaze down just a little, he can already see the peach-smelling boy with the softest voice and the kindest smile, sitting on the ground and running his fingertips lightly on the grass blades.

Jeonghan’s heart skips a beat.

He’s perfect,  _ isn’t he? _

“Jeonghan?” Joshua’s surprised voice as a lilt in it that he can only assume is  _ happy. _ And he assumes as such because the omega’s scent  _ sweetens _ as it drifts to his nose. “What are you doing here?”

Standing there dumbly, Jeonghan finds his feet frozen on the ground.

_ What now? _

Okay, so maybe he did spend most of his time trying to look good and hide his scent (because, duh, he’s been told he stinks). 

And maybe he didn’t think he’d actually  _ have to _ talk to him.

Which is dumb because in several of his daydreams, he did ask him out pretty smoothly.

“Love—” Jeonghan trips over his words, not knowing what to do with his own  _ body _ , “—Lovely weather today.”

Fuck. My. Life.

_ Lovely weather today?  _

_ Seriously, _ Yoon Jeonghan?

“It’s nice,” Joshua shrugs lightly, eyes smiling at Jeonghan despite the alpha’s  _ pathetic _ attempt at starting a conversation. The omega takes one long look at him and then points out. “You don’t have your scarves today.”

_ He noticed. _ Nodding once, Jeonghan’s face breaks into what he thinks is a smile. “I wanted to look good.”

Maybe that’s a bit unusual, a bit too honest, but Joshua’s so pretty and so soft-looking and he smells so sweet, and Jeonghan is just…

_ Weak.  _

“You look good everyday—” 

“Wanna grab dinner with me?”

A stupid, tremendously  _ idiotic _ way to ask for a date when:

1) He just cut off someone he likes who’s in the middle of giving him a compliment, and

2) It’s literally just thirty minutes after one o’clock in the afternoon.

_ Wanna grab dinner with me?  _ His own voice replays in his mind. There’s nothing by humiliation in him right now.  _ Yoon Jeonghan, you sound like a fucking dweeb. _

“Oh,” Joshua utters slowly, looking flustered at the sudden ( _ failing _ , mind you) attempt on asking him out, “R-Right now? But I just ate…”

“No—No, I mean—” Jeonghan scratches at his nape, face heating up uncharacteristically because he’s used to the heat with all the layers of clothing that swallow him up every single day “—I mean later. Tonight. If you have time.”

Silence fills the air. Blinking, Joshua stares up at him, and they stay like that for a moment—with Jeonghan standing a few feet away in front of him and Joshua slumped on the grass. Wind blows, and there are a sprinkle of people around them, but somehow it feels like they’re alone together.

Along with the wind comes a certain aroma.

Lavender. Sour,  _ yes, _ it’s getting repetitive now,  _ but lavender… _

Joshua wasn’t particularly fond of flowers before. Now, he can name one scent almost immediately.

It calms him. 

Cheeks tingeing pink, Joshua meets his eyes. “I’m free tonight, I guess.”

He doesn’t want to sound desperate, but Jeonghan’s…  _ kinda cute. _

Okay, that’s a lie—Jeonghan’s drop-dead gorgeous, but  _ sure. _

Joshua is free, alright. He hasn’t been not free for quite some time now. Aside from Seungkwan’s Tuesday night pizza parties or Seungcheol’s rut emergencies, there isn’t much Joshua jots down on his planner.

But Jeonghan, an alpha who—despite his potent odor—is very much an eligible bachelor, just asked him, an omega who has been batting his lashes really slowly and sweetly like molasses for weeks now just to get said alpha’s attention, out for dinner.

“Really?” For someone who just confidently blurted out a date invitation, Jeonghan seems shocked by the omega’s response. “Really—You’ll—” he chokes on air, quickly covering it up with an elaborate cough that exceeds three  _ ahem _ ’s, and he can only hope it comes off something else because, otherwise, it would be so  _ uncool  _ “—You want to have dinner with me?”

“Yes, Jeonghan,” the omega’s lips pull into an amused smile. “I want to have dinner with you.”

Jeonghan finds himself hanging onto Joshua’s every word, the movement of his lips, the glint of his eyes, the fragrant scent of peaches in the air.

He’s going on a  _ date.  _ With Joshua.

So…

What happens next?

* * *

After they exchanged numbers, the alpha left, head bowed low as he shuffled away from him. Joshua could only look at his retreating back.

All he could think about was that he’s going on a  _ date. _

Seungkwan came over, and they decided on an outfit together. Jeonghan only told him through text that smart casual would be okay, but Joshua’s number one fear in the world is showing up under or overdressed. Going through his wardrobe of stuff he got from thrift stores took longer than expected.

After a lot of time rummaging through his small closet, he opts for a light, comfortable lilac sweater and some nice pants that hug his butt nicely. 

The V neck of the sweater that shows off some of his chest is a bit  _ provocative _ —if you look closely—but it’s not like he doesn’t  _ know _ that. 

He’s of age. Unmated. Very much available.

_ Why not? _ What’s so wrong about wanting to look sexy once in a while?

Seungkwan helped style his hair and maybe enhance his eyes and lips a little with some makeup, so Joshua doesn’t feel too intimidated by the place. Standing in front of Jeonghan’s car, sure, he has prepared appearance-wise, but it’s really hard to calm himself down when he’s literally staring at something that resembles the fucking  _ Batmobile.  _

“Did I come too early?”

If the car is this luxurious, then the owner, of course, must be a _thousand_ _times_ shinier. Yoon Jeonghan is stunning in a simple black button down shirt, slacks, and a chocolate tux blazer. His brown hair falls effortlessly on his forehead in waves, jaw sharp and eyes tempting as always. 

_ Wow.  _ Joshua should have gone for something a  _ little more formal _ , if he knew his date would be looking like a god, but it’s socially unacceptable to make someone wait another hour just so he could  _ change. _

To Joshua’s relief, he’s  _ not _ wearing a scarf tonight, but his sour scent is still muted.

Meaning, he wore blockers of some sort. 

He doesn’t like that he can’t smell him well. 

Joshua purses his lips, trampling down the urge to question the alpha. It’s not his place to demand such things from him.

“You’re just in time,” Joshua says with a smile instead, reaching to open the car door when Jeonghan stops him.

“Wait—” the alpha hops off the sleek vehicle, opening the door for him. And it’s crazy—how Joshua’s impressed by this when it’s literally the  _ bare minimum.  _

_ Jeonghan is so fucking hot up close. _

Except for the entire car ride…

He’s uncomfortable.

There’s a nagging feeling inside him when Jeonghan turns up the air freshener in the car.

Or when he looked like he was about to strap Joshua’s seatbelt for him but bailed last minute. 

Or when he did his very best avoiding touching Joshua or even going near him.

But Joshua is determined to get to know this person. Jeonghan is interested in him—that much is  _ obvious _ since that cute moment they had earlier. So far, all he knows about him is that he has a sour scent, he’s rich (please, Joshua saw that  _ Rolex _ on his wrist), and he’s a fine arts major.

That, and he’s good-looking. Joshua is  _ really _ getting repetitive about this.

What he didn’t know is that Yoon Jeonghan is not  _ just _ rich.

“Order anything you want.”

He’s  _ filthy _ rich.

As he wills his jaw not to physically drop, Joshua’s eyes sweeps through the menu.  _ Almost 500 000 won for a freaking plate of fish eggs!? _

Not only  _ that _ —everything is lavish. The exclusive, hideously expensive restaurant Jeonghan brought him to has floor to ceiling windows exhibiting the Seoul skyline, a giant, crystal chandelier, and a wine bottle that costs more than a year of Joshua’s rent in his studio apartment. Hours earlier, he wouldn’t even have  _ imagined _ he’d be in somewhere like this place, but now he’s sitting across a man who looks too nonchalant as he tells the server his order.

“How about you, sir?”

“I-I’ll have what he’s having,” Joshua mumbles, eyes dropping to the table cloth instead as he gets the urge to just eat  _ air _ for the entire night. He doesn’t know what Jeonghan is having, or what these words mean. He can’t even pronounce  _ Escargots de Bourgogne.  _ Whatever he ends up with, he hopes it’s not too expensive because he’s a university student. He lives on a  _ budget. _

Suddenly, he doesn’t feel as sexy in his thrifted V-neck sweater. 

Joshua clears his throat, reaching for the goblet of water set out on the table for him. He sneaks a peek at Jeonghan who’s casually browsing the menu. He doesn’t seem surprised by the prices, nor does he seem affected at all by anything.

_ Has he even looked at me yet? _ Joshua thinks to himself, feeling significantly smaller and smaller by the second.  _ Am I even dressed right for the occasion?  _

“Do you like the place?” The alpha asks, flashing him a dashing smile, but Joshua can’t focus on his perfect face because of his raging insecurities. He can’t stop wondering how many part-time jobs he has to take to afford a full-course meal here.

“Yeah,” Joshua forces a smile despite his unease, “It’s really…” And he does try to find the words, but all he could come up with is: 

_ “…sparkly.” _

“I’m glad,” Jeonghan says, and he looks like he genuinely  _ is _ . For some reason, that makes Joshua feel a bit better.

“You didn’t order dessert,” the alpha notes, “Do you want sweets for after?”

He wants sweets, but at the same time, Joshua mourns the state of his wallet. He can just get a melon popsicle on the way home if he really craves sweets after. “No, I’m not really craving sugar right now—”

“You don’t have to lie,” Jeonghan cuts him off, scent souring further, but Joshua can’t tell if that’s a reaction to anything. “It’s on me.”

Nonetheless, it upsets him. He’s not sure what exactly, but—

Something about  _ that _ ticks Joshua off. 

“I can’t possibly make you pay for my meal,” he says through a thin veil of annoyance. He’s not sure yet if he’s supposed to get pissed at that.

_ You don’t have to lie. _

What’s that supposed to  _ mean? _

“I invited you, so it’s just right for me to pay for everything.” Boldly, Jeonghan reaches for his hand across the table, stroking the back of it with his thumb. His face is gentle—a total contrast to how he uses his words. “You can treat me with ramen next time.”

“Why?”

“Huh? What do you mean  _ why?” _

Inhaling the sourness of the alpha’s scent, Joshua scoffs in disbelief, pulling his hand away, “Why do you get to treat me to a five-star restaurant but I get to treat you with  _ just _ ramen?”

Going off the alphas puzzled expression, he doesn’t know why Joshua’s asking him this.

Which is surprisingly more annoying because Joshua’s sure he’s doing this on purpose.

Wow, this guy’s an asshole. But Joshua didn’t think he’d be  _ exceeding _ expectations.

“You’re an omega working at an  _ art supplies store,” _ the alpha points out in an even voice like  _ that’s _ supposed to  _ explain it _ for him.

And frankly, Joshua can’t take any more of this. 

“So, that’s it?” He laughs dryly, making a point of avoiding Jeonghan’s eyes because the alpha is pulling off the confused look so  _ well, _ and Joshua might really believe he’s being genuine with how good of an actor he is right now. “You’re looking down on me, too?”

With that, the alpha seems to realize the weight of his words. “That’s not—” 

“See, I once told you if you had a problem with me being an omega,” Joshua says, voice full of conviction—the last shred of dignity he has that’s keeping him upright—as he stands up, letting the chair scrape back loudly and catch the attention of some of the people around them. “You don’t have to put up with it.”

“Joshua—that’s  _ not _ what I meant—”

“You know, you shouldn’t have asked me out just to do this. You could’ve just…” he trails off, not knowing how to continue because, really, he is pathetic. He steps away from the table, feeling particularly  _ lacking _ .

Everything around him is glinting with money, and he feels like the dullest blade, the glass among diamonds. Usually, he doesn’t mind being himself—surviving from paycheck to paycheck, renting a studio apartment monthly, only affording instant ramen for dinner some nights when the budget is tight. There was never an issue with that because Joshua is an omega with dreams. One day, it will all get better. He’s never ashamed of his job at the art supplies store, never ashamed of being an omega. But now, surrounded with all of this, he feels inadequate. Like he can’t keep up. 

Jeonghan turning out to be an asshole? Maybe it is for the best. Maybe Joshua will continue to attract jerks like this in his dating life. Maybe he dodged a bullet with this one.

“Listen to me,” the alpha takes his hand again, but Joshua moves it away abruptly. “I—It’s not that. Please, Shua, I’ve never been this interested in someone for so long. I don’t have a problem with you being an omega, in fact, I really like that you’re sweet and pretty, you know? And—”

“Maybe your scent  _ reeks _ because that’s who you really are, huh?” The omega’s voice is shaky, and he can’t trust himself not to break down right then and there. 

He fucking feels like he’s nothing but a  _ stereotype _ .

The way the alpha’s eyes widen as an emotion close to being hurt crosses his gaze makes Joshua feel a little better about himself. 

At least, this way, he’s not the only one whose insecurities are poked and prodded.

“Let’s not meet each other again,” Joshua bows his head respectfully. His chest feels heavy and he might burst into tears any second, so he has to get out of here as soon as he can. “We don’t have any reason to.”

Jeonghan looks like he still has a lot to say, but he remains unmoving even when Joshua walks out of the building. But the omega couldn’t care less about what he made him feel anymore.

Not when he himself is on the verge of exhaustion.

* * *

That wasn’t how Jeonghan imagined it would go.

He kicks off his shoes, harsh as he pulls his blazer off and throws his body onto the couch.

He spent so much time planning that date, even throwing his family name around just to get a table last minute in such an acclaimed restaurant. 

_ Maybe your scent reeks because that’s who you really are, huh? _

Jeonghan laughs dryly at himself. Another one put off by his scent. And here he thought Joshua didn’t notice his scent. Or even if he did, Jeonghan thought he didn’t mind it.

Turns out, he’s no different from others. He’s still affected by his sour scent. He’s still displeased by it.

_ “But it’s not your scent that drove him away,” _ Seokmin says on the phone after Jeonghan recalls the entire failure of a date to him.  _ “You know what I’m about to say, right? Hyung?” _

Jeonghan is well aware. 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m an ass. So what?” Head tilted back on the couch, Jeonghan grumbles, shutting his eyes tight as he massages the bridge of his nose. “He didn’t have to say that about my scent.”

_ “Didn’t it occur to you that maybe he’s tolerating your scent just to get to know you? He was ready to know you despite that. But in the end, it’s still not about you and how you smell.” _

“Are you seriously taking his side right now?”

Seokmin sighs to the receiver. His Jeonghan-hyung gets really stubborn being the emotionally constipated alpha that he is.  _ “I am, of course. You basically called him poor and mocked him for being an omega. If I were him, I would’ve dumped a plate of fancy French food on your head.” _

“But I didn’t mean it that way—”

_ “I know you don’t because I’ve known you for so long. Your intentions don’t translate easily. Why do you think I stick around as your very best friend? That’s because I know you. But he doesn’t, and you have to understand that.” _

With that, Jeonghan falls silent, letting the words sink in. Seokmin hangs up, anyway, saying he has to go do something.

He wasn’t ever the best at expressing himself. Whether or not he wanted to make friends, no one wanted to go near the sour-smelling dominant alpha. To anyone, he’s threatening. Even with his family’s wealth, his status, and his looks, there’s no way to get friends who are genuine enough. He’s lucky to have Seokmin, but that’s as far as he gets when it comes to socializing. 

He lets the previous events replay in his head. He really didn’t mean to make him feel bad about the money. He knows Joshua is working hard, he sees him everyday at the store. He was just trying to convey that he understands if the omega can’t afford the food on the menu because, unlike most of his family members, he knows that money doesn’t grow on trees and that some people work hard for what they have. 

When he brought Joshua to that restaurant, he brought him with the intention of paying for him because the omega he likes deserves only the best in the world—nothing less. When he said Joshua could treat him to ramen, he meant… well, the internet results said that's an invitation for…

(Now that Jeonghan thinks about it, he  _ is _ being childish.)

And when he said Joshua  _ didn’t have to lie _ , which probably is the statement that made the smell of fresh peaches turn sour under his nose, he was talking about the omega’s friend  _ Minghao _ mentioning Joshua’s fondness for desserts. He wanted to buy him sweets. 

He wanted to see him smile.

But that look on his face before he left. That look on his face rendered Jeonghan unable to move because his eyes are glistening with tears that are threatening to fall. And maybe, at that very moment, Jeonghan already knew he fucked up. Maybe, at that very moment, he knew he made him cry.

His ego just couldn’t let it go, is all.

_ Maybe your scent reeks because that’s who you really are, huh? _

Joshua’s voice echo in his head. 

_ That’s because I know you. But he doesn’t, and you have to understand that. _

And then Seokmin’s.

The purpose of this date was to get to know the peach-smelling cashier at the art supplies store. To let him know Jeonghan. To, perhaps, show him he’s a worthy alpha. Worthy of the finest omega that is Joshua.

But it doesn’t seem like he succeeded even a little bit at that.

He has to make this better. 

There must be some way he could apologize for what he did…

Is what he thought at first. But right now, he doesn’t want to show himself to the omega.

_ Let’s not meet each other again. _

_ We don’t have any reason to. _

* * *

“It’s just oil paint,” Jeonghan pleads, putting more sugar in his voice as he appeals to Seokmin’s good graces, “Pick it up for me, I’ll pay you.”

“I can’t—hyung, I’m in class.”

He clutches at his phone tightly. “So? Just leave. Professors don’t care.”

“Not this one, nope. And I’m not your errand boy. Go out, please, get some sun,” the younger huffs, “Touch some grass.”

“I can’t,” Jeonghan grumbles, sounding muffled as he turns to the pillow, “I smell bad.”

“That has been your problem ever since, why does it matter now?”

There’s no point in lying now, is there? Jeonghan sighs, “Joshua thinks I suck and I smell bad.”

“Then go apologize!” Seokmin sounds rushed whisper-screams at him, probably on the brink of hanging up. “Don’t be that jerk that lived up to it. I mean, you  _ suck _ , but at least have the balls to admit it. I gotta go, b—”

The line is cut before he could tell him how embarrassing it is to show his pathetic, tactless face in front of the person he likes most. 

Seokmin can’t be contacted after that, and Jeonghan really has to finish this painting. He has a deadline in two days. Art shouldn’t be rushed, but here he is— _ cramming. _

A few hours ago, he was brooding over what to do. He could buy something online, but that would take weeks to get here and he doesn’t have the time. He could go for a drive to another place, but the other nearest art supplies shop is further in the city where he rarely visits, so he risks getting into fights with people who aren’t familiar with the dominant alpha whose scent stinks. That, and the store might not even have what he needs. Is it worth it?

Jeonghan stands in front of the mirror. The weather today is hot enough for him to perish if he goes out in winter clothes, so he dresses like a normal person and douses himself in blockers instead. 

While he definitely can’t smell himself, he knows people (mostly  _ Joshua _ because who cares about strangers at this point?) will still catch a whiff of his clothes, so by now, he only has one option.

Clutching his Dior perfume that he only  _ ever _ wears for formal family events with various politicians and celebrities, Jeonghan spritz some on his neck just over his strongest glands.

And all over his clothes.

A bit on his wrists.

Maybe  _ one _ mist on his hair.

He doesn’t stop until the contents bottle of expensive perfume is visibly reduced. He’s going to be in and out of that place as fast as he can—Joshua won’t even notice him come in.

It’s not that he’s shameless…

Maybe he is, if he’s still showing up after hurting the omega’s feelings, but it’s not like he has _another_ _choice_. 

Whether or not he does look forward to seeing him, smelling him again shouldn’t matter. He doesn’t have the right to want things now.

If Jeonghan thinks he’s inconspicuous with that get-up, then he must be  _ dumb. _

_ Dumb. Stupid. Idiot alpha, _ Joshua chants in his head as he watches the subject of his annoyance enter the store. No one’s around as always, and Joshua will recognize  _ that _ silhouette out of seven billion people in the world. 

He’s wearing a black mask, black aviators, and a black baseball cap like he’s some sort of a celebrity in disguise, and it’s  _ stupid _ because Joshua can already tell it’s  _ him _ just by the broad expanse of his shoulders. 

_ Fine. _ This man made him cry on Seungkwan’s lap for three hours at best, the beta vowing wrath over Jeonghan until the day he went the way of the flesh just for hurting Joshua—so what?

It has been a week since then. He should get over it.

But something about seeing the alpha today is making him feel a  _ pang _ in his chest.

“Ordered online,” the alpha finally approaches the counter, obviously not looking at Joshua even under those sunglasses. His voice is taking on a lower register, too, like that would fool Joshua into thinking it’s not him. “For Yoon Jeonghan.”

Now that he’s nearer, Joshua inhales, subconscious searching for that distinct aroma of lavender.

_ Calabrian bergamot and pepper.  _

_ Some notes of Sichuan Pepper.. _

_ Geranium, Patchouli, and Cedar. _

Joshua doesn’t exactly know  _ why _ , but his insides crumples as he tries his hardest to catch a whiff of the alpha’s sour scent, at least.

_ Lavender. _ Joshua is trying to find that hint of lavender—even if it’s masked by the sourness, even if it’s not as commanding as it should be.

It’s not  _ there.  _ He can’t smell him.

Suddenly, he can visualize his patience as wire pulled taut inside of him. It’s on the verge of snapping, and Joshua is keeping his composure, making sure he doesn’t do or say something he will regret later. 

But it’s not  _ him. _ It’s not Jeonghan’s scent. And that’s enough to make him ache inside, for some reason.

“Why the  _ fuck _ do you smell like  _ that?” _

Jeonghan looks at him in shock, and you can’t blame him if his initial reaction is to  _ snap back. _ The alpha has always let people say things about his scent—it’s the only thing he would change about himself, but he can’t because he doesn’t even know how to. He thinks it’s not his fault—or maybe it is, but how is he supposed to know that? 

He just lived with it. 

But Joshua doesn’t have the right to always, always rub in his face that he smells so  _ bad _ , the omega can’t stand being near him for a short moment. Even through half a bottle of the most expensive cologne he owns. It’s not fair.

It hurts.

It hurts more because it’s  _ Joshua _ that’s put off by him.

“Who do you think you are?” Jeonghan rumbles, standing tall as he rips the mask and shades off his face. Tension grows inside him, and he can smell himself again, the blockers proving themselves useless from his scent. 

Pheromones wrap the entire store, and Joshua…

Joshua  _ can’t breathe. _

He can, of course—the act of breathing is effortless to humans—but he can’t smell anything else. Just Jeonghan’s potent, lavender scent that’s too sour, too sharp for his sensitive nose—a tell-tale sign that the alpha is riled up and in distress. And the omega in Joshua is tempted to  _ cry _ , tears starting to threaten their way in the corners of his eyes, but he  _ holds on. _

He holds on because he can guess  _ why _ Jeonghan is suddenly aggravated.

“I know I don’t have the right to see you again after what I did to you before, and believe me, I tried my best to honor your wishes of never seeing each other again,” Jeonghan starts his verbal onslaught, “But you don’t have the right to insult my scent over and over. It’s  _ not _ something I can  _ control _ .”

He’s explaining himself—something he hasn’t done in  _ years _ . Maybe he last did this in middle school, but that was it. After that, he just never bothered. He took on those fistfights with alphas and won. He accepted names they used to call him, let the backstabbing of his high school “friends” pass behind him like they never mattered, but every little thing  _ counts _ . And even if he never acknowledged them before, that doesn’t mean they were never wounds in his heart.

And now, it hurts more because it’s Joshua.

“I thought you were different. I thought that you weren’t bothered by my scent, that you didn’t judge me for it,” he growls, watching the omega flinch under his gaze, “I guess I thought wrong.”

And while Joshua can’t help feeling  _ threatened _ by the alpha’s temper, he stands his ground. This isn’t something to back down from, not when he didn’t mean what the alpha thinks he means.

So, he stands there, until Jeonghan is done stifling the entire store with his scent (something Joshua will have to explain to Minghao later, but he can only deal with one problem at a time), and stares at the alpha’s eyes with his chin held high.

_ “…You done? _ ” Joshua dares to ask, willing his voice to sound  _ even _ because, sure, he knows how to pretend he's scared, but he’s biologically  _ wired _ to tremble under an alpha’s provoked state. 

Jeonghan doesn’t respond, averting his gaze as his chest rises and falls after his outburst. He looks like he’s coming down from a high.

Like he’s about to cry, almost. Weird because alphas are generally known to punch things when frustrated, not look like they’re about to bawl their eyes out.

Joshua continues, “I wasn’t talking about your scent,  _ idiot. _ ”

With that, Jeonghan tilts his head in confusion, silently waiting for an explanation because  _ ‘why the fuck do you smell like that?’ _ would pertain usually to none other than his scent. 

“I was talking about your perfume,” Joshua says, scrunching his nose as he watches Jeonghan’s expression change from indignity to utter confusion to  _ realization _ . He can see the cogs in his brain  _ turn _ as he absorbs Joshua’s words. “In fact, I’m offended I  _ can’t _ smell you at all. Hasn’t anyone told you that you smell  _ good? _ ”

Jeonghan looks _even_ _more_ confused now, opening his mouth just to close it back again because he can’t find the words to reply with. 

_ Smell good? _ What the fuck?

“Sour tones aside, you smell like lavender,” Joshua mumbles, face heating up because… Well, he just admitted to sniffing the alpha like a creepy pervert. And he can’t stop being  _ honest _ about it, even if the guy was an ass to him just weeks ago. “It’s  _ nice _ . So don’t cover it up.”

Jeonghan’s cheeks mirror the tinge of pink on Joshua’s, unable to utter a single word in response because, damn, this is the first time someone complimented his scent. Of all things that he has, Joshua thinks his scent is nice.

_ Lavender. _

He didn’t even know anyone who would take the time to tell him what exactly he smells like. Seokmin did say he smells floral sometimes, but he can’t trust an engineering student to tell him exactly what kind of flower he’s smelling.

And in a brief window of time, Jeonghan realizes another thing.

Joshua used hazy words, too, to convey his thoughts. Just like Jeonghan did back at the restaurant. Between the two of them, only Joshua had the guts to clear things up and tell him exactly what he meant.

Jeonghan could have done that, too. But he didn’t. 

He’s really shameless, isn’t he?

“I don’t  _ care _ about your sour scent, Jeonghan,” Joshua breathes out, looking exhausted after bearing all that pheromones. He looked like he was keeping it together earlier, but he was barely holding on. He’s still an omega—he’s still bound to be burdened by that much. “It was never an issue to me. But can’t help thinking you smell like that just because you’re a jerk. I guess I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions without knowing anything.” The omega sighs, bowing his head as he sincerely apologizes. “I’m sorry. You shouldn’t be weighed down by something you can’t control. I should have understood right away how it felt to be looked down on like that—” 

Joshua smiles wryly, and something about his next words breaks Jeonghan’s heart, and rightfully so.

“—I’m an omega after all. It’s not like I asked to be one, too.”

Jeonghan wants to say something—to finish what he started. 

But words won’t make their way out of his throat.

Instead, he does what he does best.

“He ran away!?” Rice from Seungcheol’s full mouth comes shooting at Joshua’s face as the alpha reacts violently at the recounting of what happened. “That  _ son of a b—” _

“Mind your  _ fucking _ language,” Seungkwan interrupts, looking thoroughly grossed out.

Joshua sighs. Here they go again.

This is a common occurrence—Joshua sharing his love escapades while Seungcheol eats and Seungkwan offers snide remarks about the way Seungcheol  _ exists _ . It never really escalates to a real fight, and the omega knows both his friends will commit a grave  _ crime _ for each other if the situation calls for it. 

Sometimes, Joshua wonders why these two don’t date when they both get each other so intimately.

But, oh, well—that’s not  _ his _ problem.

His problem is Yoon Jeonghan.

And his attraction to him and his scent, even if the guy’s a dick. 

“Y’know—it’s kinda  _ hysterical _ ,” Seungcheol says after swallowing his food, “how you’re basically trying to rehabilitate an  _ edge lord _ alpha with  _ body odor _ problems.”

Seungkwan doesn’t even try to contain his laughter, literally guffawing in the middle of the food court. 

Joshua, on the other hand, doesn’t appreciate them talking about  _ him _ like  _ that _ .

“Oh, why the long face?” Seungkwan rolls his eyes, “It’s not like you’re  _ mates _ —don’t give me that attitude. I should remind you that he blatantly and hurtfully ridiculed you for being poor  _ and _ for being an omega. Calling him an edge lord doesn’t even pay for that.”

It’s not that—Joshua intends to defend him, but how is he supposed to defend his behavior at the restaurant? 

Joshua was hurt. His pride was  _ crushed _ , to say the least, and it’s not like Jeonghan apologized for it, too.

I know I don’t have the right to see you again after what I did to you before, and believe me, I tried my best to honor your wishes of never seeing each other again…

But Joshua knows that the alpha was self-aware. And based on the way his big, scary alpha growling back at the store ended with him  _ walking away _ with his tail between his legs, he doesn’t know his way with  _ words. _

“Something tells me he can’t use his words well,” Joshua admits, sighing as he rests his cheek on his folded arms on the table. “He might have been trying to tell me something else, but I misunderstood because—”

“I’m not listening to this.”

Brows meeting, Joshua glares at Seungkwan. “What do you mean by that?”

“This is  _ Hong-Jisoo-in-love _ that’s talking,” the beta replies, pulling out his phone and busying himself with Twitter instead. “You might have found your fated pair.”

_ Fated pair? _ “Isn’t that a bit too superstitious?” Seungcheol butts in because Joshua is suddenly deep in thought.

“The boogeyman was invented by parents to mentally scar their children to submission, but I still close my windows at night in fear of seeing one,” Seungkwan shrugs. “He might have found his fated pair— _ I don’t know, okay? _ I just can’t explain how he’s still all over him, trying to understand that alpha’s emo ass, when he can just move on and move along like he did with his exes.”

Fuck Joshua, but Seungkwan is _right_. As always. Even Seungcheol nods along with that dumb look on his face like _that_ made sense, and it’s warranted because it _does_ makes sense. With his first boyfriend who _wasn’t_ _even_ _gay_ , Joshua just up and left after Seungkwan slapped the guy for him. And Mingyu did intimidate his second with sheer size (even if the alpha was about to fold—he’s not a fan of physical confrontations) so Joshua didn’t have to act on it. All he had to do was work harder to earn back all the money that was essentially stolen from him by that relationship.

Yoon Jeonghan and his blunt, thoughtless words hurt him in his very core. That’s why the pain is unbearable.

But at the same time, Joshua wants him to apologize.

Somehow, Joshua wishes for him to come back and earn his trust.

Fated pair, _ huh. _

Joshua will put it to the test, then. 

Fate should do its job. He’s getting tired of disentangling all this out all on his own. 

Contrary to what people think, Joshua does spend some of his time drinking. He’s not a  _ prude _ . He knows how to have fun.

Afterwards, he was dragged by an overzealous Seungkwan to a  _ noraebang _ , and while Joshua is usually soft-spoken, gentle with his voice just the way his mother taught him, he never backs down when he’s presented with a microphone. 

Wielding a tambourine in his hand, Seungkwan belts the lyrics to the entire  _ Mamma Mia! _ soundtrack and Joshua whips up some of the choreography that he can remember on the spot, swaying his hips to the song while Seungcheol hoots from the background. He’s far from sober, but it doesn’t look like his friends are going to remember him sexy dancing as Seungkwan, with his whole heart and soul, sings  _ Chiquitita, tell me what’s wrong. _

“Can you walk?” Seungcheol asks the beta, supporting him by the waist. Seungkwan is wasted. Joshua might be drunk but his friend would splat face-first on the ground if not for Seungcheol keeping him up. 

“Walking is for wimps,” the beta slurs, hooking both his arms around Seungcheol’s neck. “Carry me.”

And the alpha does because he’s roaring drunk as well and he’s more suggestible to Seungkwan’s whims this way. Joshua’s vision blurs for a moment, but it does come back into focus, so he’s okay— _ he’s okay. _ He can still get home in one piece.

“Take him home, will you?” He pats Seungcheol’s arms that are straining to carry Seungkwan princess-style. “He’ll end up sleeping at the train station if we let him go home alone.”

“How about you?” The alpha asks. “Text Mingyu—he can come pick you up.”

Joshua is about to do that, but as he glances at his phone screen, the time glares back at him. It’s almost five in the morning. On a  _ work day _ . They’ve been having too much fun. Joshua makes a mental note to text Minghao that he won’t be able to come to work today.

Well, there’s that now. He can’t trouble Mingyu. Besides, his home is not that far. He can just sober up a bit at a convenience store and walk home, save some coins. 

“Have you texted him?” Seungcheol asks again as he hoists a worn out, floppy Seungkwan into a taxi. “He should be up right away—You have a special ringtone for him or something.”

“Yeah,” Joshua lies because Seungcheol will get fussy, and Seungkwan is turning green. He needs to get home fast. “I’ll wait here. You two should go.”

“Alright,” the alpha says, ruffling his hair once before getting in the cab and nursing his intoxicated baggage.

True to his drunken plans, Joshua did buy a melon popsicle at the convenience store, waiting until some of the alcohol is out of his system. And everything goes smoothly—he’s just walking at his own pace, mindlessly looking around the neighborhood. It’s still dark, the sun is still not peeking even if it’s summer. 

Weird. 

But that’s not all that’s peculiar. 

Something tells him he’s being… followed. 

He gets that feeling of being  _ stared at _ —the way someone’s subconscious detects the eyes that are boring holes through one’s body. He gets the prickling at the back of his neck, the pit of his stomach unsettled as he rounds a corner, feet heavier as he tries to walk faster.

Out of nowhere, a hand shoots out from an alley, roughly grabbing him and hurling him around until his back slams against concrete. Joshua feels pain shoot across his back, tears welling in his eyes. 

It  _ hurts. _

A man, physically bigger,  _ stronger _ than him with a sharp attack of pheromones that tells him he’s an alpha in a  _ rut _ , presses a firm hand on Joshua’s mouth, so all attempts of calling for help are effectively muffled.

Another hand is around his neck, fingertips pressing at his scent glands, and Joshua instantly feels like putty as the stranger  _ scents _ him heavily, claiming him as his own. 

There’s ringing in his ears that he can’t quite shake off, but he’s certain about one thing:

He’s  _ scared. _ Because he knows what’s going to happen next, but the alcohol in his system, his sleep-deprived state, and the  _ scenting _ are all rendering him unable to defend himself.

Much like female omegas, male omegas also has this _lingering_ _thought_ at the back of their minds—that they have to take extra care, that their secondary gender makes them even more vulnerable to attacks.

Joshua has always thought he was being careful—he goes to the gym to enhance his strength, and when you’re a  _ man _ , regardless of whether or not you’re an omega, you’d think you’re somehow less exposed to dangers like this.

He might have downplayed evil in this world a tad. Because now…

Now, Joshua can tell he’s about to be  _ defiled _ in an alley.

And he’s helpless, unable to speak, scream, or  _ move _ . And he knows that as soon as the alpha forces a command on him, he’s going to crumble.

But—funny how fate works—before the man could do anything, before Joshua could register what’s happening—

The man is on the floor, doubled up in pain as he coughs, clutching at his sides.

And Joshua is being tightly embraced.

_ Lavender. _ His nose learned how to subdue the sour undertones of the scent, searching for that floral, calming aroma that he grew to love. And in no time, Joshua feels safe despite his heart hammering in his chest. 

Jeonghan is here. For whatever twist of fate, Jeonghan is holding him close to his body as he hisses commands at his phone, and Joshua would want to know what he’s saying or who he’s talking to—barking at—or how he even  _ got here  _ before anything happened, but the ringing in his ears is  _ persistent _ and he’s scared.

“Where are we g-going?” Joshua dumbly asks, looking up at the alpha as he lets himself be led into the same car he was in weeks ago. He’s not sure but he does hear sirens in the distance, and one look back at the rogue alpha has him confirming that he’s  _ incapacitated _ in ways the omega can’t  _ see _ .

When his eyes flit back to Jeonghan…

Let’s just say the expression on his face mirrors the menacing way his scent smells. 

And yet, it’s what ground Joshua back to reality as he acknowledges that there’s still the effects of alcohol in his system and that he’s just not okay.

“We’ll get you home safe,” is all Jeonghan says, soothingly albeit through gritted teeth, and Joshua can’t will himself to ask more about it.

Jeonghan made him tell him when to turn or where to stop, and, yes, entrusting your address to an alpha that hurt your feelings just recently must not be the best idea, but Joshua is thoroughly  _ shaken _ by the events, and weird as it is to admit, he actually thinks nothing else but the alpha’s scent could calm him right now.

It was a quick, quiet ride because his home isn’t that far from the scene where it happened. Joshua’s hands are still shaking despite his head clearing up, and the more he comes to sobriety, collecting his wits, the more he understands the gravity of where he was just moments ago.

He was pinned by a rogue alpha in a rut. 

He was about to face a fate  _ worse _ than death.

If Jeonghan didn’t show up out of nowhere…

Thinking about what _could_ _have_ happened throws him into distress. 

And Jeonghan seems to see  _ that _ , the alpha taking extra care in leading him, assisting as he walks the steps of the stairs to his apartment unit. But he doesn’t smother him in a protective grip like alphas tend to do when blinded with rage when their omegas are targeted—

Wait— _ what? _ He’s  _ not _ Jeonghan’s omega. Joshua should get a grip.

“You can go,” Joshua stutters as soon as he enters his place, shutting his eyes tightly as he tries to focus on breathing in. But when Jeonghan steps back to give him space, the omega almost stumbles, clutching at the alpha’s shirt like his life depends on it because it somehow does. If Jeonghan moves away just a little, Joshua can smell another alpha’s scent—someone he doesn’t know, someone who attempted to do something unthinkable to him—

And it’s  _ terrifying. _

“Did he _scent_ _you?”_ Jeonghan’s voice is incredulous, but he doesn’t take a step near him, doesn’t do as he pleases. Instead, he stands there, nearby if Joshua needs him, but not crossing the doorway.

It’s almost like he’s stopping himself from crossing a line.

There’s really no point in lying about it, so Joshua nods, eyes trained to the floor. The way the alpha’s scent intensifies doesn’t go unnoticed, but it’s not  _ bad. _

It feels like Jeonghan is angry _for_ _him_. Joshua likes it.

“Can I come in?” 

It’s a question. He wants Joshua to know that he can say no.

_ “Please,” _ is all the omega could utter, but as soon as the alpha comes in…

Joshua throws himself around him.

Once inside, Jeonghan spends the entire time holding a trembling Joshua whose face is buried on his chest, quietly sniffling from time to time as his eyes wet the fabric of Jeonghan’s shirt. He holds him firmly, offering all the support he may need. 

What he went through mere moments ago shouldn’t be taken lightly.

“Why are you here?”

Jeonghan hums, stroking Joshua’s hair—an action he knows he doesn’t have the right to do, but the omega doesn’t seem to mind, purring in response to the light touches. 

“I was on the way to the art supplies store,” he explains, but he doesn’t know what to say that wouldn’t make this sound creepy, “I was passing by the neighborhood when I saw you walking around, and I thought I could offer you a ride. But before I could—"

“The store? At five in the morning?” Joshua looks up at him, nose red and eyes puffy as he clings onto Jeonghan to mooch off his scent. “You’re as suspicious as  _ that _ guy.”

He’s talking about the rogue alpha who almost…

Jeonghan wants to  _ destroy _ something,  _ someone _ every time he thinks about it. 

“I was going to wait for you to come to work,” he sighs, instinctively pressing a kiss on top of Joshua’s head. He almost pulls away after that, but Joshua preens prettily, and Jeonghan’s just a  _ man _ . 

“Why?”

“To give you something.”

“What is it?”

“…” Jeonghan stalls because he doesn’t know if he should bring this up right now when the omega is still processing what happened to him. “I’ll tell you later,” he hoist Joshua gently by the shoulder, guiding him so that his back is flush against Jeonghan’s chest as they sit on the couch. “More importantly, are you hurt? Do we need to go to the hospital?”

He was fast enough to get to the scene to know that the rogue alpha (who’s about to face  _ years _ in prison now, thanks to Jeonghan’s connections in the police force) didn’t have enough time to do what he wanted to Joshua. But only the omega can know what exactly happened to him. 

“My back is sore, but that’s about it,” Joshua says, breathing unevenly as he gradually calms down from the crying. “Do you have plans today?”

He asks that as if Jeonghan would rather go do anything else than be with him, but it’s not like he can blame Joshua for thinking like that. He wasn’t even ever clear about his feelings.

“If you want me to stay, Shua, I’ll stay.”

“Are you sure?” Joshua looks behind at him, “You really mean that?”

“With all my heart,” Jeonghan just about whispers, but he does catch the way the omega softens in his arms, physically relaxing little by little.

“Good,” Joshua closes his eyes, suddenly feeling tired. He’s nauseous—something in his tummy  _ hurts _ , and it almost feels like a cramp. “Because I will die if you’re not here.”

That stupefies Jeonghan. “What do you mean?”

“My tummy hurts,” Joshua mewls, turning his face away from Jeonghan’s gaze. “Your scent keeps it bearable.”

Jeonghan’s senses focus on Joshua, and finally, he realizes—he can’t smell him.

“He scented you,” Jeonghan gently reminds him, making sure he understands the gravity of the situation, “Joshua, you might go into  _ heat _ if we don’t—if you don’t—”

“I know.” Eyes snapping open, the omega gazes back at him. “That’s why I asked if you have plans today.”

Eyes widening by a lot, Jeonghan tenses. What Joshua’s suggesting is a bit…

But it’s not like he’s complaining. They just…

They haven’t even talked properly yet. And the last time they met, Jeonghan royally embarrassed himself.

“What—”

“If you’re not disgusted by me,” Joshua says, turning to look at him firmly despite the ache in his abdomen, “Can you…?”

He looks at the alpha expectantly, half-hoping he says  _ no _ and just brushes this off as Joshua being irrational because, well, he’s about to go into heat any time now if the alpha doesn’t do something about it. And it’s not like Joshua to ask for a quick fuck or a one night stand. Both his exes complained at least once in the course of their relationship that he’s too uptight, too vanilla to even attempt that.

But another part of him just _doesn’t_ _mind_ _it…_ if it’s _Jeonghan_.

“Joshua,” the alpha starts, firmly holding him around his arms, “I—Before we do anything, we need to  _ talk _ about this.”

“We do,” the omega nods in agreement, eyes glassy but his wits are still a little intact enough to comprehend the situation. Jeonghan seems to want his full consent. 

And Joshua appreciates that. 

“But can we talk fast?” A wave of nausea washes over him again, and he goes limp in Jeonghan’s arms. “I really  _ will _ die, you know?”

“I didn’t know you were such a drama queen,” Jeonghan jests. He doesn’t get a peep of contention when he hauls Joshua up, the omega’s legs wrapping around his waist  _ naturally _ —like a puzzle piece fitting into a slot. 

“I didn’t know you knew how to joke,” Joshua’s voice is muffled because he’s burying his face in Jeonghan’s neck, and the alpha can’t help but smile secretly at how  _ adorable _ he’s being right now. “I thought you’re just serious and broody all the time.”

“Am I acting too familiar?”

Joshua sighs as his back hits his nest, bed so soft and fluffy, smelling exactly like himself. And it’s so  _ good _ to be surrounded by his scent when he can’t smell his own on his skin. “No,” he shakes his head, biting his lip without knowing how that already drives Jeonghan crazy. “I like it.”

Jeonghan doesn’t join him in his nest because the alpha knows better than to barge in an omega’s nest without invitation. But he’s lying if he says he’s not tempted to  _ bury _ himself in Joshua’s pillows. The nest looks perfect, and he should have expected that much from Joshua because, like Jeonghan initially thought, he  _ is _ the finest.

“What are you doing standing there?” Joshua blinks up at him from where he’s comfortably settled on the bed of pillows and blankets strategically placed to provide the omega the best comfort there is.

“Are you sure?” 

Joshua smiles, like he’s at ease with Jeonghan’s presence and the alpha knows he should treasure this kind of trust. He’s not about to fuck this up. 

Grasping that he needs to  _ explicitly _ say what he wants because they’re treading unfamiliar waters, the omega pats the space beside him, “Lie down here with me. We still have a lot to talk about.”

“Yeah,” Jeonghan yields, gently situating himself in Joshua’s nest. And true enough, the loving scent of peaches fills his nose as he lies down with him. “My scent might mix, though—”

“That’s perfect, then,” Joshua yawns, shifting so that his head is lying on Jeonghan’s chest, his nose closer to him. “When you leave, I can still smell you.”

It will forever be a mystery to Jeonghan why Joshua keeps saying his scent is good for him when it’s—

“Do you…” Jeonghan starts, already realizing how silly this is, but he has to ask to know, right? That’s how  _ communication _ works. He’s learning. “Do you believe in mating?”

“The science-y stuff?” The lilt in Joshua’s voice is so  _ cute _ , Jeonghan thinks. “Of course, I do.”

“No, I mean stuff like the fated pair.”

Bond marks, mating—all of it can be technically explained by hard data, but some people believe in  _ hearts _ mating as soon as they’re born. This belief strengthens alpha-omega bonding further and validates beta marriages. Some religions even form their doctrine around this kind of unfounded belief. 

There are no studies behind it, no research that could tell it actually works. Nowadays, betas can utilize divorce and omegas are  _ finally _ given the rights to refuse bonding with legal sanctions against alphas who shall force themselves on them. So it’s not as  _ relevant _ in this generation. 

Still… It’s nice to think about. 

Everyone’s hoping they find the one that’s _all_ _theirs_.

Everyone just wants to belong.

“You know, my friend mentioned something like that to me.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Isn’t it weird?”

“What is?”

Joshua tilts his head up, the top of his head brushing against Jeonghan’s chin. He brushes his nose against Jeonghan’s neck, inhaling for good measure, and Jeonghan’s heart _leaps_ _off_ his chest because he never thought he’d ever have anyone do that to _him_ of all people. 

“Everybody’s telling me to stay away from you because of your scent. But ever since I met you, I only craved for your scent more than anyone else’s.”

Oh, that’s just  _ endearing. _

“Are you saying we’re fated?” Jeonghan asks, hand carding through Joshua’s soft locks.

But Joshua only shrugs, smiling as he takes in more of the  _ lavender _ . This scent—all for  _ him. _ “I’m not fully buying it,” he mumbles, “but if it puts a name to  _ this _ feeling, then maybe we are.”

“What feeling?”

“You know,” Joshua huffs. Unbelievable. So he has to proclaim  _ this _ , too. “When I see you, when I smell your scent, it suddenly doesn’t matter that you were mean to me. I get the urge to just forgive you blindly.”

_ But I won’t. _ The words linger in the air, but Jeonghan hears it. 

_ Right. _ He hasn’t apologized. And yet, he still doesn’t know exactly how to do that. 

Every single moment he spends with Joshua, the omega is  _ forthright _ —sincere and upfront with his perceptions, honest with his words. He knows how to say his thoughts aloud without being hurtful—something Jeonghan is still trying to learn how to do. The alpha decides that it’s unfair for him—for  _ Joshua _ —if Jeonghan can only hide under the guise of being unable to speak his mind while the omega bares his soul every chance he gets.

So, he does what he should have done the moment he realized he screwed up.

“I’m sorry,” Jeonghan declares, eyes fluttering shut as he buries his face in Joshua’s hair. He does this to keep him close, yes, but also to hide his shameful expression. Joshua can’t be burdened by such a thing. “I’m so, so sorry for saying all those to you. I didn’t mean them—I’m—”

“Jeonghan,” Joshua’s soothing voice sounds even more reassuring as he says the alpha’s name, “Take your time to gather your thoughts. I’ll listen.”

And with his thoughts gathered the way they heaped up in every thinking session he spends in the shower back at his own place, Jeonghan spells out for Joshua the meaning of his words back then. That he didn’t mean to say it that way. That he meant something else entirely. 

For the entire time he was talking, Jeonghan can’t help feeling insecure about the sound of his voice. He has never talked this much before. Well, he never really had a chance to explain himself before. People would judge him easily based on his scent, and it’s just an established  _ thing _ now—he doesn’t get the liberty to give voice to his wants and needs when everyone is convinced he’s a bad person because of one bad interaction with him.

But Joshua is humble,  _ gracious _ enough to give him a chance. 

And Jeonghan is  _ determined _ to get to the omegas special graces. Jeonghan is going to prove he wants—

Wants him. 

Is he even allowed to want him?

“So, you’re saying,” Joshua clicks his tongue weakly because the dizziness is persisting, but he’s still making a  _ point _ , “that you’re just… really just clumsy with words.”

Jeonghan said a lot more than  _ that _ , but he’s glad Joshua got the gist of it in his current state. “Pretty much, yeah.”

“Why didn’t you just say so?”

“It’s not something I actually _thought_ _about_ during that time,” Jeonghan acknowledges, feeling lighter since he’s getting used to talking with Joshua now. “I’m really sorry, Joshua. I know it sounds like a bunch of excuses stitched together, but I swear I’m not lyi—"

“Well, you’re forgiven. Ten times.” Joshua shifts so that they’re eye-level. The alpha is convinced the omega doesn’t know the  _ pull _ he has on him. “I was hurt, but I got over it pretty quickly. I kind of figured out you suck at talking when you misunderstood me last time we saw each other.”

Suppressing a grunt, Jeonghan mentally palms his face. “Yeah, well, that’s a mortifying memory for me.”

“You went all alpha-mode on me.”

“Joshua, please—”

“You scented the whole store, you know,” Joshua presses on, clearly entertained by the way Jeonghan’s face is tinting pink. And then he remembers, “By the way, why do you have a sour scent?”

As soon as he asks that, Jeonghan’s face falls. Joshua worries he asked for too much, but he can’t really focus on feeling guilty when 1) they’ve already fought about the alpha’s scent once, and 2) he feels like he’s about to throw up, his own scent gone from his skin.

So, while Jeonghan takes a long pause to gather his thoughts, Joshua comes closer to him. 

“I guess I remember now,” Jeonghan’s voice is somber when he speaks, closing his eyes as that one memory before he presented as alpha comes flooding back in his mind. “But it’s too…”

“Too heavy?”

“Yeah.”

Joshua’s thoughts drift to the Google search result he found back then.

_ A sour scent is believed to be tied to the psychological condition of the person. _

_ To briefly explain its presumed main cause, scents are described to turn sour as a response to a distressing or disturbing experience. _

“Try me,” Joshua says, wrapping his arm around the alpha’s middle and cuddling against him. “I’m pretty interested in you, plus I already called you my _fated_ _pair_.”

“You sure?” Jeonghan carefully puts his arm around Joshua, too. And while he can’t smell him and his inner alpha’s instinct is to scent the omega, he resists the urge, reminding himself of what doing  _ that _ entails. “It feels like I’m the only one talking, though.”

“I like it. I like it when you let me know.”

That’s enough for Jeonghan to recount the memory, sparing Joshua from listening to the minute details like the family business or the dumb political marriage system. He kept it  _ simple _ , easy to absorb, so when Joshua decides he doesn’t want anything to do with this information, he can just detach himself from Jeonghan.

He was in a kitchen cupboard when he heard his mother tell his father that Jeonghan was the biggest mistake in her life. 

Growing up, he couldn’t really deny that. His mother was once a supermodel, someone with an entire future ahead of her. But of course, his father needed to produce an heir. And while Jeonghan is his father’s prized possession, his successor… 

He’s his mother’s nightmare.

And it sounds kind of stupid and petty now that he’s telling Joshua about it. It’s not like this is some kind of drama wherein the omega is supposed to pity him after that sob story.

Jeonghan doesn’t want  _ that _ . He does want to share how he got it, though. Offer some kind of clarity. 

“It’s not a big deal, but I presented after my mom left for good,” he says, finishing up nicely to make light of the story. Joshua’s not reacting, just looking up at him, his cheek squished against Jeonghan’s chest. “Haven’t seen her since then. And I remember having a sour scent ever since.”

Joshua doesn’t speak, only averting his gaze and…  _ pouting _ as he stares deeply at Jeonghan’s shoulder. 

“Hey, Shua?” Jeonghan nudges him. “Did I say something wrong? Did I talk too much?”

“No,” the omega hums, snapping out of it, “I’m just sad.”

“Sad?”

“There must be more to what you’re telling me, and I’m not entitled to know all that,”  _ not right now, at least, _ Joshua thinks because he plans to have  _ something _ after this, “But it’s sad that you didn’t get to know your scent without the sourness.”

He doesn’t know what he expected him to say, but Joshua has a point. He never did learn what his scent truly smells like. 

Out of everything Jeonghan said about this family, Joshua finds himself focusing on that. It’s a pity because Jeonghan smells really good.

Really,  _ really _ good that he can’t stop rubbing his nose in Jeonghan’s neck, just where the scent glands are.

“You smell perfect,” Joshua breathes out after he takes a long inhale, uncaring if he’s being so touchy, “I’ll go find something that smells kinda like you because you’re missing out on this.”

“Don’t you…” If his voice suddenly becomes small, Jeonghan hopes Joshua doesn’t notice, “think the sourness smells bad?”

Now that Joshua looks back on it… “I think I’ve never ever thought of it as  _ bad _ ,” he says slowly, recalling their very first meeting, “I mean, at first, it was strong, but I have a sensitive nose, so—yeah, it was overwhelming at first. But you go to the store every day, so maybe I got used to it? I keep looking for your lavender every time.”

“So that’s why you hated it when I wore perfume…” Jeonghan mumbles mindlessly, earning a shy giggle from Joshua.

“Yeah.”

“I can’t smell you right now, but I also loved that whenever I went to see you at the store, peaches linger on my clothes.”

Joshua flushes pink, but Jeonghan doesn’t point it out because he doesn’t want the omega to be conscious of such an adorable phenomenon. “What do I smell like right now?”

“Like another alpha,” Jeonghan’s expression drops by a whole lot. He’s  _ careful  _ about his reactions, but Joshua chuckles at his tone, so now he doesn’t even try to hide his irritation. “Are your glands okay? He didn’t get to do anything, right?”

“He didn’t,” Joshua sounds weak, and all he can do is rub himself against Jeonghan. “My glands feel clogged—I can’t smell myself, too. And I’m having cramps. They’re not so bad, but still…”

“Do you—” Jeonghan clears his throat, the tips of his ears warming. He doesn’t know why he’s acting all weird  _ now _ when he’s already sprawled on the omega’s nest. That’s as intimate as it gets. “Do you want my help?”

“I’ve wanted nothing else since you went through that door,” Joshua smiles. 

“Are you sure?” The alpha plods on, maneuvering so that he’s on top of Joshua. Joshua sighs at the feeling of having an alpha’s weight on him. It feels right—the way nature made it to be. “I’m going to have to scent you.”

Nose pressed against Jeonghan’s neck, the omega nods. But that’s not enough for Jeonghan.

“I need your words, doll.” 

Joshua lets out a small whimper at the nickname, “Yes,  _ please _ . Please scent me.”

From there, all Jeonghan has to do is let the inherent, primal alpha instinct take over. The omega underneath him shudders as Jeonghan gently guides his wrist to his neck, brushing along Joshua’s scent glands. For a second, nothing happens, but then it came in  _ sudden _ whiffs of something fruity—

Until Joshua’s scent is all that fills his nose. 

He really can’t get enough of it.

As soon as Joshua’s scent mingles with his, the room turns  _ euphoric _ . So it’s not entirely Jeonghan’s fault if he’s hard so soon.

He leans in claiming the omega’s hot, pliant mouth in his and it feels so surreal. Even Joshua’s mouth tastes like the ripest fruit Jeonghan has ever had in this lifetime.

Joshua pulls him closer, not minding the alpha’s full weight on him because it’s not like he can’t handle it plus it’s really grounding, really soothing to be squished between the mattress and the person he likes.

And it seems like Jeonghan likes him, too, because something  _ rock _ - _ hard _ presses against his tummy.

“I thought I’d have to go down on you to get you up,” he comments, smiling cheekily at Jeonghan as he pulls off the kiss, “but  _ someone’s _ excited.”

Jeonghan doesn’t even blush this time, boldly rubbing against the omega whose skin tingles at every contact. “You underestimate yourself.”

Unbeknownst to Jeonghan,  _ that _ helps Joshua’s confidence a lot. “I can still do it.”

Well, now the alpha’s head is  _ blank _ . 

“I can still suck you off,” the omega offers, looking up at him with imploring eyes that are impossible to resist. “I  _ want  _ to.”

_ Oh, he’s gonna kill me one day, _ Jeonghan thinks as he lets Joshua maneuver them into a position wherein the omega is still on his back, lying on the bed, and Jeonghan thighs are on both sides of his shoulders, bare cock hovering over Joshua’s face. His pants and underwear are discarded somewhere on the bed because Joshua’s unexpectedly eager and skillful at removing articles of clothing, but Jeonghan can’t be bothered to look at where they are right now—not when Joshua’s looking so beautiful under him.

It’s not his fault they’re like this—Joshua insists on doing it, but he’s too dizzy to lift himself up. This is the best position.

And, really, Jeonghan wants to tell him to slow down, to  _ savor _ the moment—but Joshua’s eagerly and earnestly mouthing at the head of his dick, giving it kitten licks from time to time. 

Is he even going to last long? 

More importantly, will he end up  _ knotting _ him?

“I can only fit  _ this _ much,” Joshua calls his attention, making Jeonghan look down at him as he tries to fit in at least half of the alpha’s cock in his mouth. His eyes are trained on Jeonghan’s watching his expressions, and Jeonghan is nothing if not generous, so he lets himself be transparent.

The pace is slow, and it’s incredibly slick— _ addicting _ , even, to be in the omega’s sinful mouth like this. But it feels like Jeonghan’s the one being serviced when it’s Joshua who needs utmost care right this moment.

When Jeonghan pulls away, Joshua whines at the loss of the warm cock between his lips, but all dismay quickly dissolves because Jeonghan is placing kisses on his lips down his neck, sucking on his neck, just around the sensitive skin around his scent glands. And the heavy, nauseating feeling from earlier just dissipates along with every kiss. 

Joshua didn’t think he could feel this light.

Jeonghan’s hands are travelling as well, pulling off Joshua’s pants by the waistband, nimble fingers popping the buttons of his shirt open, revealing the omega’s heated body. By now, Joshua should be getting shy, but Jeonghan looks at him like he’s the most stunning thing on earth, and it does wonders to his fortitude.

“You can say no,” Jeonghan reminds him, capturing a nipple in his mouth, making the omega heave a silent moan, “You can tell me to stop whenever you want.”

Even if it’s too late for Joshua to not want this because his body is already a slave to his desires, it’s still reassuring to know that the alpha is taking care of him, making his wants and whims the center of his attention.

It’s a nice change of company. Joshua’s only ever used to being expected to serve. 

He feels… He feels like a…

“ _ Princess _ ,” Jeonghan whispers in his ear when he doesn’t respond, “Tell me if you understand. I won’t touch you if you don’t.”

“ _ Mhm _ ,” Joshua murmurs drunkenly as the alpha flashes him a gentle smile, hand splaying across one of his ass cheeks, squeezing a handful of it as he watches Joshua nod keenly. “I can say no anytime.”

“Alright, baby,” Jeonghan says, moving downwards to take a good look at what he’s about to pamper, “Tell me if anything doesn’t feel good.”

“Okay.”

As it turns out, Jeonghan is not only good at what he does, he’s also devout when it comes to making sure he does it well. Joshua is already dripping  _ wet _ —it’s his body’s way of protecting itself by preparing him to enter into heat when an alpha in a rut tried to force himself on him earlier. Earlier, the slick coming out of him felt uncomfortable— _ wrong _ . Because he couldn’t smell himself and it felt like he was getting excited for someone he doesn’t want, much less  _ know _ . 

But now, with three of Jeonghan’s fingers inside him, slowly working him open to prepare him for his—

“Are you going to knot me?”

Joshua’s voice is small when he asks that Jeonghan has to stop the movement of his fingers in him altogether. 

“Do you want me to? I can pull off on time if it’s too much for you—”

“No!” Joshua says too fast, too loud that he flushes pink, cheeks warming as he realizes how desperate that must sound. But it’s not like he can help it—he badly does not want to miss out on the alpha’s knot. And he actually needs it. He doesn’t think the cramping will stop if they go without it. “No,” he repeats with more of a mature air around him, “I don’t think I’ll sleep well later tonight if you don’t knot me. My cramps won’t go away.”

“We’ll have to switch positions then,” Jeonghan says, already lifting Joshua’s limp body. 

The alpha sits with his legs extended instead, back supported by the nest pillows propped against the headboard. He then keeps Joshua sitting on his lap, the omega’s wetness sliding down onto Jeonghan’s thighs. 

“Shirt off,” Joshua mumbles as he notices that Jeonghan’s still wearing clothes. The alpha complies right away, pulling the fabric off his head, and Joshua stares for a second too long at the lines of his abdomen, the broad expanse of his back—

“Have you been working out?” He dumbly asks, eyes unable to tear themselves off Jeonghan’s body. He didn’t look this broad before.

That question seems to fluster Jeonghan, “I’ll tell you later.”

He has a lot to explain later… if Joshua remembers.

Before Joshua could press on further, Jeonghan pulls him into another kiss, hands clasping at both the omega’s sides. His waist is so slim, so perfect for Jeonghan, and he gets the urge to lift him up a fraction, guiding his hips to align Joshua’s slick hole and his unattended cock.

It’s effective. Joshua finds himself shutting up, thoughts flying far away from him because all he can think of is how he’s going to be  _ filled _ soon. 

“Whenever you’re ready,” Jeonghan whispers, mouthing at the omega’s ear lobe. 

Joshua lets out a sensitive whine, marveling in the creeping sensation on his skin as he’s sinking down until the head of Jeonghan’s cock catches on the rim of his hole. Jeonghan quietly shushes all sounds that come out of him, rubbing gentle circles on his back. After a few minutes of Joshua trying to take the plunge, the whole thing finally goes in—immersed to the hilt.

Jeonghan patiently waits for him to settle, pressing kisses on his shoulders as Joshua tiredly falls forward. The omega can only mewl, whimper, and wail at the sensations. 

He’s so  _ full _ .

“So, so big,” Joshua mumbles out of his wits as Jeonghan moves, slowly but surely, stretching him out further—more than he can ever imagine. 

Jeonghan  _ knows _ his size—he’s not a  _ teenager _ who get flustered over comments about how huge he is. But Joshua’s chanting over and over that it’s big in his hazy state, and Jeonghan’s only a  _ man _ .

“Does it hurt anywhere?”

“No—” comes Joshua’s abrupt answer that was cut off by a loud,  _ choked _ moan when Jeonghan hit something deep in him “—It’s good—I like—I really like you—”

Another sob leaves the omega, confirming Jeonghan’s inkling that he already found that spot

“I really,  _ really _ like you, too,” Jeonghan affirms, thrusting at a constant, unhurried pace, deeply reaching in places Joshua never even thought  _ existed _ in him. His exes never compared to this.

The next moments come as a blur. Jeonghan’s speed picks up gradually—all according to the omega’s needs. When Joshua says to slow down, he does. And when Joshua requests he  _ wrecks _ him, Jeonghan happily obliges. As the alpha’s thrusts become more and more intense, the omega lets himself be  _ manhandled _ by Jeonghan’s grip on his waist that’s essentially pushing and pulling him down, impaling him on his cock in time with his thrusts.

It feels so good, so wet. The cramps that were forming on his lower belly earlier are now gingerly melting away, and all Joshua can think about is his release.

Several more pumping inside him, and Joshua’s coming undone with a pathetic, voiceless scream of Jeonghan’s name, streaks of white landing on Jeonghan’s toned abdomen. And one would think an orgasm would be the  _ end _ of it, but Jeonghan’s knot catches on the brim, his cock swelling inside the omega as it pumps the alpha’s release into him. 

The tightness is _more_ _than_ _welcome_ , but Joshua’s pushed to oversensitivity, and all he could do is flop on top of Jeonghan who soothingly presses kisses all over his face. 

Joshua can’t even moan, throat raw and mind mushy. He can only whimper and mewl at the fixed knot inside him, clenching involuntarily at the warmth. 

Jeonghan would sporadically twitch inside him with the urge to  _ move _ , but they both don’t know what Joshua can or cannot take, so he settles on being safe, opting to keep himself from moving lest he hurts the omega.

But Joshua keeps shaking, the throbbing cock inside him stimulating him more than earlier—if that’s even possible at this rate—and he doesn’t know how many times he has come since Jeonghan knotted him.

“Are you okay?”

Joshua nods, still unable to contain his trembling because that felt like another orgasm, and he can’t look down and confirm because he’s too tired to lift his head. “How—How long—?”

“Usually thirty to an hour,” Jeonghan confesses bashfully, kissing Joshua’s temple. “If it hurts—”

Well, if it hurts, it’s not like he can do anything when he’s already locked inside, but it doesn’t and that’s all that matters.

“No, no, it feels good,” Joshua whispers, feeling  _ impossibly _ stretched out. He’s starting to think he’s  _ ruined _ for other alphas. Jeonghan fucked him good. This is him being  _ gentle _ —Does this mean Joshua will  _ die _ if he goes rough?

_ Crazy _ , yes, but Joshua wants to test that theory.

“No more cramps?”

He shakes his head, resting it against Jeonghan’s shoulder. And they stay like that for a moment, waiting for the knot to go down. Joshua’s tummy feels sticky where it’s skin to skin with Jeonghan’s—probably because of his own release—but he can’t find it in himself to be uncomfortable. Not when Jeonghan is so  _ warm _ .

“Jeonghan?”

“Hmm?”

“I meant it when I said I like you.”

The alpha smiles, pressing a kiss on his forehead. “And I meant it when I said I like you, too.”

“Does this mean we should date?” The question is innocent, but hopeful. Joshua looks up at him through his lashes, tired and loopy from being loved so good.

Jeonghan would punish himself forever if he messes this up again.

Little does he know Joshua will keep forgiving him for it, anyway.

“I don’t think I can let anyone else have you.”

* * *

Jeonghan’s knot goes down after more than an hour, and he apologized profusely for it, but Joshua really doesn’t mind—not when it squeezed out a few more dry orgasms from him. 

After they cleaned up, he offered to cuddle the omega to sleep, but Joshua has other things in his mind.

“What were you going to give me?” 

Jeonghan jolts out of his trance, turning to look at the omega who’s curled up against him on the couch while a game show is playing on the television. “Huh?”

“Earlier,” Joshua reminds him with a lilt in his voice, eyes curious, “you said you were going to wait for me at the store to give me something.”

“Oh.  _ That _ .”

“Yeah,” Joshua’s lips pull into a pout, “What is it?”

Jeonghan mulls over it for a moment. They’re officially dating.

So it wouldn’t be too…  _ cheesy _ to give him that now, right?

“Hey, Yoon Jeonghan—”

“Wait here,” Jeonghan says, leaving the curious omega on the couch. 

Joshua is pissed for a little while because he just accepted his knot and he’s suddenly leaving him alone on the couch, but Jeonghan doesn’t take long, coming back with a rectangular something the size of his bathroom mirror. It’s wrapped in newspaper…

It takes him a few seconds to register the scene before him. Jeonghan’s an art student. That looks a lot like a canvas.

The alpha doesn’t even have to speak for the omega to know what to do. As soon as Jeonghan hands him the thing, with careful hands, Joshua rips off the cover to reveal a painting that oddly feels…

It feels like a  _ reflection _ of himself. 

Though it doesn’t show his face nor anything of his possession, the painting has splashes of colors—pinks and oranges, hues of peach that induce some kind of  _ pull _ from inside him.

He looks at the painting for a long while only to turn his gaze back to Jeonghan. 

“Is this for me?”

The alpha nods, taking a seat next to him. Joshua’s instinct is to curl up next to him, canvas in hand. “I went into rut some time after the dinner, after being exposed to your scent for too long,” he cards a hand through Joshua’s hair, watching the omega’s expressions of awe, “I couldn’t bring myself to spend my rut with anyone else, so I either worked out to sweat it off or—”

“ _ Paint _ .” Joshua finishes the sentence for him. Jeonghan feels a sense of pride as the omega smiles widely, sweetly at him, the scent of peaches filling his nose once again. 

He’s  _ happy _ .

Jeonghan  _ made _ him happy.

“I got random bursts of inspiration while thinking about you,” he admits, “And this one’s my best work. I wanted to show you as an apology.”

Taking one last look at the art piece, Joshua lets himself be spoiled by the feeling that’s budding in his heart. No one has ever shown him how they thought of him, and Jeonghan’s here, giving him an image of how he looks in his mind’s eye. He settles the painting down, moving closer to the alpha.

And Jeonghan embraces him, pulling him in for a kiss that’s slow,  _ candid _ about its intentions.

_ I really like you. _

Later on, along with feeling  _ beautiful _ , Joshua can sense a strong aroma of lavender lingering in the air.

Only this time… it’s not as sour. 

Just like Joshua, Jeonghan smells happy.

**Author's Note:**

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